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ORIGIN AND PROGRESS 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS 



METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 



INCLUDING 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE OF S OME O F THE 
CONVERTS FROM POPERY AND INFIDELI^I 
FURNISHED BY THEMSELVES^ 



REV. ADAM MIL 

GERMAN MISSIONARY. 



c 



! 




CINCINNATI: 

PUBLISHED BY J. F. WRIGHT AND L. SWORMSTEDT, 

For the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the Book Concern, 
311 Main-street. 



R. P. Thompson, Printer. 

1843. 












Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1843, 
by J. F. Wright and L. Swormstedt, in the Clerk's Office for 
the District Court of Ohio. 

Id Bxchang* 
22 JetMr 



^?J 



PREFACE. 



In arranging the materials for the present 
work, the author has done the best he could, 
for the limited time allowed him from his 
ministerial and other pressing engagements. 
Whether it should be favorably or unfavorably 
received by the Christian public, he will have 
tne satisfaction of having discharged, what, 
after due reflection, he deemed a duty— that of 
snatching from oblivion some important facts 
calculated to strengthen the hands and encour- 
age the hearts of the friends of missions. 

When our German missions were commen- 
ced, we had but one solitary missionary in the 
field. Some of our brethren were in favor of 
giving up this small beginning ; and concluded 
that our operations and success could be but 
very limited. Others, again, appeared to be 
confident that new fields of usefulness would 
open, and that the Lord of the harvest would 
convert and send forth men competent to the 
work. And such, to a wonderful extent, has 
been the result. Some of the very first Ger- 
man converts in Cincinnati, and other places, 
have become devoted and successful missiona- 
ries. Several ministers, too, who had previous- 
ly been preaching in English, thought that a 
larger sphere of operations presented itself in 

3 



4 PREFACE. 

the German work, and entered accordingly. 
In this way the cause has been gradually in- 
creased; and, from present indications, we may 
safely say, we have but just entered on the 
threshold. Much, under the blessing of God, 
is destined yet to be accomplished. 

It may indeed be thought out of the ordinary 
course, to publish a history of these missions 
at this early period of their existence. But 
when we look at the extraordinary work of 
grace which has been wrought, and at what re- 
mains to be done ere the thousands of our Ger- 
man population are brought under the influence 
of the Gospel of Christ, we deem it, as before 
remarked, our duty to give these accounts to 
the Christian public, in order to excite them to 
greater diligence and zeal in this glorious cause. 

There are many persons who, although they 
have frequently read of German missions, in 
detached and scattered fragments, yet have very 
incorrect views of their general character and 
importance ; and who frequently ask the ques- 
tion, " Can any thing be done, on an extensive 
scale, for the Roman Catholic and infidel Ger- 
mans ?" or, "Are many of them converted 
under the labors of our missionaries?" Such 
questions will be answered in the following 
pages. 

That the blessing of the great Head of the 
Church may accompany the perusal of the fol- 
lowing pages, is the author's sincere prayer. 
Adam Miller. 

Cincinnati, 0., July, 1843. 



CONTENTS. 



Preface .....Page 3 

INTRODUCTION' • 7 

CHAPTER I. 
Observations on Germany- - 11 

CHAPTER II. 
Immigration of Germans to America ♦ 13 

CHAPTER III. 
Commencement of German missions 15 

CHAPTER IV. 
Progress of the work during the first year in Cin- 
cinnati ■ 26 

CHAPTER V. 
Establishment of a German mission within the 
bounds of Columbus district, Ohio conference 31 

CHAPTER VI. 
Re-appointment of a missionary at Cincinnati, and 
commencement of the Christian Apologist 40 

CHAPTER VII. 
Rev. Peter Schmucker's first appointment to Cin- 
cinnati, 1838, and the establishment of the mis- 
sion at Pittsburg 81 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Establishment of German missions in 1839 — com- 
mencement of the German mission at Wheeling •-• 86 
5 1* 



6 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IX. 
State of the German mission in 1840 Page 96 

CHAPTER X. 
New missions established in the year 1841 118 

CHAPTER XI. 

State of the work in 3843 131 

CHAPTER XII. 
Religious Experience 135 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Otterbein and other Methodistic Germans 234 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Methodist Episcopal Church has been 
decidedly missionary in her character and oper- 
ations through every period of her history; 
and while it has been the 'constant aim of her 
ministers to obey the injunction of the Savior, 
" Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel 
to every creature," they have uniformly de- 
pended on the agency of the Holy Spirit for 
the accomplishment of their great object — the 
diffusion of " Scriptural holiness over these 
lands." Encouraged by the declaration of the 
great Head of the Church to his disciples, 
" Lo, I am with you always," these self-deny- 
ing and holy men have gone to " distant, bar- 
barous climes," to publish "glad tidings of 
great joy" to those who are "perishing for 
lack of knowledge." Many of her early mis- 
sionaries, whose memories we should cherish 
with veneration, have, after successive years 
of industrious toil, and a noble sacrifice of the 
interests of this world, fallen at their posts; 
and are now reaping the reward of their labors 
in the Church triumphant. But notwithstand- 
ing this, the missionary spirit continues to live 
in our Church. The venerable M'Kendree, 
while, by an eye of faith, he viewed the prom- 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

ised rest, looked also on the marshaled host 
following in the rear, and exclaimed with his 
departing breath, " All is well." 

It is to her missionary character that the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, under God, owes 
her widely extended, and still extending, influ- 
ence. Her sphere of operation has not been 
confined within the borders of civilization. 
Some of her ministers have gone to proclaim 
the Gospel of the grace of God to the untu- 
tored Indian in his wigwam, and others to the 
shores of injured, insulted, and long neglected 
Africa, offering precisely the same Gospel to 
the sons of Ham. 

While these missionaries were laboring in 
distant fields, supported by the prayers and 
contributions of their Christian friends at home, 
the Church, watching the openings of Provi- 
dence, so as to be able to make farther advances 
into the territories of moral darkness, beheld 
the situation of the thousands of Germans who 
annually come to seek a home for themselves 
and their families in this land of freedom. She 
saw the hand of an all-wise Providence open- 
ing the way; and, following this opening, she 
sent her servants to preach to this people in 
their own native language, to invite them to 
come and partake of a full and free salvation 
by faith in the atonement of Christ. Numbers 
have already heard and obeyed the invitation ; 
and, with humble joy, they now can testify 
that " Christ has power on earth to forgive 
sins;" and that they have " found redemption 



INTRODUCTION. 9 

in his blood, even the forgiveness of their sins." 
Among those who have thus been brought to a 
saving knowledge of the truth, are numbers 
who were Roman Catholics ; and instead of 
counting their beads, instead of paying a con- 
siderable part of their income to be saved from 
purgatory or to have their time therein short- 
ened, instead of calling upon departed saints 
to pray for them, they now come directly to a 
throne of grace, in the name and through the 
merits of Jesus Christ ; and in this, the only 
right way, find "peace, and righteousness, and 
joy in the Holy Ghost." 

In the following pages the opportunity is 
afforded to some of our German Methodists of 
testifying to their English brethren, who have 
taken such a deep interest in their welfare, that 
the Gospel of Christ to them has been " the 
power of God unto salvation." The writer 
has often been delighted and edified in listening 
to the religious experience of our German breth- 
ren in love feast and class meeting; and he 
thinks that others would be equally delighted 
and edified to learn the " reason of the hope 
which is in them." 



ORIGIN AND PROGRESS 

or 

THE GERMAN MISSIONS 



CHAPTER I. 

OBSERVATIONS ON GERMANY. 

In a history of our German missions in this 
country, it may be proper, in the commence- 
ment, to say a few things in reference to Ger- 
many itself. It is situated in the heart of 
Europe, and includes a large territory of coun- 
try, extending from the Baltic Sea to the Alps, 
and from the borders of Holland almost to the 
Turkish dominions. In this vast extent of 
country one common language is spoken, prop- 
erly called the German. There is, however, 
a considerable difference of dialect in the differ- 
ent states, or provinces of Germany ; and this 
difference is much greater than is generally 
found among the American or foreign English. 
This may be accounted for from the fact that 
the Germans, in their own country, have not 
contracted those migratory habits which char- 
acterize the people of this country — their civil 
regulations raising many barriers to their emi- 
gration from one part of the country to another. 

11 



12 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Hence most of them are brought up in the 
immediate neighborhood in which they are 
born, and live to old age without so much 
as traveling beyond the borders of their own 
state. This is especially the case with the 
peasantry of Germany. Mechanics, however, 
generally travel to perfect themselves in their 
profession, yet uniformly retain the dialects 
of their respective provinces. Owing to these 
circumstances, the German language has be- 
come greatly corrupted among many of the 
uneducated class of community. Provincial- 
isms have crept in, or have descended from 
the original Germans which prevailed before 
the language arrived at its present grammatical 
accuracy. The language of the pulpit, the 
bar, and the schools, however, is the same 
throughout all Germany ; and continual efforts 
are made to introduce a uniformity into the lan- 
guage by instructing the youth at school in 
pure German. There is a great difference be- 
tween the German and the Dutch languages. 
They are, in fact, two different and entirely 
distinct languages. The former is spoken in 
Germany, and the latter in Holland. This is 
a distinction not generally known in this 
country. All Germans, by most people, are 
called German or Dutch indiscriminately ; while 
there is in reality as much difference between 
German and Dutch as between German and 
English. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 13 

CHAPTER II. 

IMMIGRATION OF GERMANS TO 
AMERICA . 

The tide of German immigration to Amer- 
ica commenced with the early settlement of the 
New World, and continued with a gradual but 
small increase for a long time. Within a few 
years past, however, there has been an aston- 
ishing augmentation. Thousands on thousands 
have recently come to seek a home in our 
country. In 1842, the New York Sun re- 
ported the arrival of upward of fourteen thou- 
sand German immigrants at that port in the 
short space of a few months, and stated that 
nearly the whole of them without delay re- 
moved to the west in order to settle down on 
the lands purchased by them in the new states 
and territories. Numerous extracts might be 
made from public journals containing similar 
statements, but the above is sufficient to show 
the rapid influx of the Germans into our 
country. 

It is very difficult to ascertain the precise 
number of Germans in the western states. 
Various and widely differing statements have 
been made, some undoubtedly too high, while 
others have fallen much below the real number. 
A man of extensive acquaintance with the his- 
tory of the west, estimates the German inhab- 
itants in Ohio alone, at four hundred thousand. 
This I am inclined to think is much too high. 
That the number is very great, however, is 
2 



14 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

known to all who have paid any attention to 
the subject. In some parts of Ohio, whole 
villages have sprung up within a few years, 
composed of an almost entire German popula- 
tion. Here they have their own schools, and 
the religious services are likewise all perform- 
ed in their own language. By this means, in 
these places, as well as in densely populated 
German settlements, the language will he per- 
petuated to generations yet to come. The 
great majority of these immigrants are of the 
laboring class, whose well known tiaits of char- 
acter are industry and economy ; consequently, 
a large proportion of them are not only tillers, 
but actually owners of the soil. The oppres- 
sion which they have endured in their father- 
land, makes some of them the more sensi- 
ble of the privileges they enjoy in this, their 
adopted country, and leads them more readily 
to appreciate the blessings of our free institu- 
tions. Others again will doubtless abuse their 
privileges and blessings. Multitudes of them, 
not having been permitted, as a general thing, 
to read the Scriptures, and to think for them- 
selves in matters of religion, are enveloped in 
that thick darkness which always has been, and 
always will be, the result of the Papal system. 
Many of the Protestants are Christians only in 
name. The great truths of the Gospel have 
never been urged upon them. Numbers of the 
clergy in the old country are themselves stran- 
gers to the power of the Gospel, having been 
brought up to the ministry by the choice of 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 15 

parents or guardians, as persons are brought up 
to the other professions, merely for the sake of 
emolument, while a Divine call to the ministry- 
is lost sight of. "Like priests, like people," 
is an old adage, and is generally a true one. 
There are, however, evangelical Gospel minis- 
ters in Germany, who stand up against the 
darkness and corruptions that pervade the whole 
community; but these are comparatively "few 
and far between." 



CHAPTER III. 

COMMENCEMENT OF GERMAN MISSIONS. 

Sometime before the work of preaching to 
the Germans in their own language was com- 
menced by the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
the necessity and importance of it were seen 
and felt by some, who freely expressed their 
opinions on the subject. In the year 1835, 
when the Rev. Thos. A. Morris, now Bishop 
Morris, was editor of the Western Christian 
Advocate, a letter was addressed to him, under 
date of March 9th, 1835, in which some refer- 
ence was made to the spiritual destitution of 
many of the Germans, and the importance of 
preaching to them in their own language. The 
writer of the letter, having had a knowledge 
of the German language from childhood, though 
by that time having forgotten a great part of it, 
declared his willingness to abandon some other 



16 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

favorite studies, and devote himself wholly to 
the study of the German; and expressed a 
readiness to go to any field of German labor to 
which the Church might call him. In an arti- 
cle, referring to this letter, the editor makes 
the following remarks : 

" The German immigrants are becoming nu- 
merous at several prominent points in the west, 
and will probably continue to increase for years 
to come. From their general habits of indus- 
try and simple modes of living, they will pro- 
bably enjoy good health, and be a very fruitful 
race, and accumulate much wealth, in this land 
of peace and plenty. Most of them are said 
to be Papists either by profession or education. 
Those who belong to the Lutheran or other 
Protestant sects, finding little or no provision 
for their religious instructions here, except in 
English, which they do not understand much, 
and love less, are naturally led from the relig- 
ion of their fathers, to seek places to worship 
among those speaking their own dialect. Many 
Christians feel concerned for the spiritual wel- 
fare of these strangers in a strange land, and 
ask the question, What can be done for the 
Germans among us ? The plan too generally 
pursued does not appear to answer the purpose. 
The Protestants, who ought to be actively em- 
ployed, by every suitable means, to bring these 
strangers and sojourners among us to the saving 
knowledge of the truth, seem to be too well 
content with standing off, complaining of « His 
Holiness, the Pope,' for sending them over to 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 17 

us, and trying to excite alarm by vociferating, 
6 Foreign conspiracy,' « Inquisition,' ' Mother 
of harlots,' &c. And while all this well-meant, 
but fruitless outcry is going on, the Papists are 
laying a foundation deep and broad enough to 
secure and perpetuate a general influence over 
them and their children, by simply providing 
for them the means of religious worship (such 
as it is) in their own language. Who does not 
see, that in this they are wiser than their Pro- 
testant neighbors ? 

" But what can be done toward saving the Ger- 
man immigrant? On this subject our opinion 
has been for sometime made up, which we will 
venture to express in few words. We ought 
to go to work and aim to excel our ' Catholic 
neighbors ' in every good work ; but especially, 
we should supply the Germans with Bibles, 
tracts, Sunday schools, and a preached Gospel, 
in their own language. This would be a much 
more successful method of leading them from 
Popery to the saving knowledge of the truth, 
than that of newspaper war with the Jesuits. 

"This subject, on which we have often re- 
flected before, was called afresh recently by 
reading a letter from one of our young preach- 
ers of German descent, who thinks it his duty, 
for the present, to study English and German, 
rather than Latin and Greek. We approve his 
decision ; for though it is highly commendable 
in our young ministers who can, to study the 
dead languages, the knowledge of English, 



18 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

German, and French, promises much more im- 
mediate usefulness in our country." 

From the above it will be seen, that this sub- 
ject was viewed as one of great importance. 
But, at this time, the question, Where shall we 
get a suitable man to engage in this work ? re- 
mained unanswered. The young man above 
referred to, for want of reading and practice in 
speaking, was not yet prepared ; and no other 
one, in the west, was known of, as adequate to 
the task. 

It may be proper here to observe, that at the 
conference in Cincinnati in the autumn of 1833, 
the subject of a mission to the Germans in 
Cincinnati was strongly talked of by the Book 
Agents, the Rev. Messrs. C. Holliday and J. 
F. Wright; and if a suitable man could then 
have been obtained, it is probable a commence- 
ment would have been made. 

During the year 1835, Mr. Wm. Nast, now 
favorably known as the editor of the Christian 
Apologist, was converted to God, after having 
passed through a long struggle with unbelief, 
and many doubts and fears. The writer hav- 
ing been acquainted with him previous to his 
conversion, and learning his deep mental gloom 
and anxiety, while under the awakening influ- 
ence of the Spirit of God, could but feel a deep 
interest in his welfare, and hope that the great 
Head of the Church would lead him in a way 
he had not known, and make him an instrument 
in his hands of much good to his countrymen. 
When his conversion took place, of course 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 19 

those hopes were strengthened; and, blessed 
be God, since then have been fully realized. 

Mr. Nast having had the advantages of a 
good university education in his own country, 
was, in the year of his conversion, licensed as 
a local preacher in our Church, and immediate- 
ly commenced his ministerial work. 

A short time before the session of the Ohio 
conference, which was held in Springfield, 
O., August 19th, 1835, a letter was pub- 
lished in the Western Christian Advocate, over 
the signature of John Glanville, of St. Louis 
county, Mo., of which the following is an ex- 
tract: 

" Dear Brother Morris, — Your mention- 
ing some weeks since the interest you felt in 
the spiritual welfare of the German immigrants 
in the west, and the letter you inserted over the 
initials of 6 A. M.,' induce me to request you 
to use your influence to get some one or more 
preachers of that description transferred to this 
conference. We have vast numbers of Ger- 
mans in this and some of the adjoining coun- 
ties. Many of them are Protestants, and all 
are sheep without a shepherd. They cannot 
understand our preaching, nor do they like 
to attend our meetings ; but any thing in 
German will call their attention. Could we 
have a German missionary here, I am satisfied 
good would be done among them." 

In reference to this letter, the editor made 
the following remarks : 

" German missionaries are much needed, not 



20 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

only in Missouri, but in Cincinnati and various 
other parts of the western country. The Ger- 
mans desire something done ; our people are 
willing, yea, anxious, to support such missions : 
our General Superintendents, we are sure, feel 
every disposition to act: God is willing to 
crown the effort with success ; and now is the 
time to strike. We have waited long enough, 
too long, for Providence to do the work with- 
out any co-operation on the part of the Church. 
The only difficulty which appears to us, is in 
the obtaining men of the peculiar qualifications 
necessary for the work: they must not only 
possess deep piety, a sound understanding of 
the doctrines of the Gospel, and the spirit of 
sacrifice in common with their brethren, but 
must be able to speak the German language 
fluently. There are, doubtless, a few min- 
isters of our order who can speak it with suffi- 
cient plainness to be understood ; and if the 
work be only commenced in good earnest, the 
Lord will raise up young Germans to carry it 
on with success. Is it not, at least, our duty to 
make the effort? To this question thousands 
of pious hearts will respond an affirmative 
answer." 

From the following pages the reader will 
learn that the above predictions were not fanci- 
ful speculations indulged in from a momentary 
impression ; but that they were uttered as the 
result of mature reflection, and that they have 
literally been fulfilled. 

At the Ohio conference of 1835, the Kev. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 21 

Wm. Nast came recommended from Mt. Ver- 
non circuit, as a suitable person to be received 
into the itinerant connection, and was accord- 
ingly received, and, for the year, appointed 
missionary to the Germans of Cincinnati. This 
was the first regular appointment of the charac- 
ter alluded to our Church ever made. Brother 
Nast arrived at his post and commenced his 
labors about the middle of September. In his 
commencement he met with many discourage- 
ments, arising from various sources. It may be 
proper here to mention some of the difficulties 
with which he had to contend ; and by which 
his want of success, to the extent that was an- 
ticipated by the friends of the enterprise, may 
be accounted for. They are noticed not only 
as historical facts ; but also for the purpose of 
showing that commencements, apparently un- 
successful, in matters of religion, often prove em- 
inently prosperous when we are fully brought to 
realize our own inefficiency, and consequently 
that we should not hastily abandon a good 
work because we do not meet with immediate 
great success. 

Brother Nast, though a native German, had 
spent seven or eight years previous to his enter- 
ing the ministry among the English. During 
a great part of this time, he was engaged as 
Professor of Ancient Languages in a college, 
and of course had very little occasion to use 
his native language. This want of practice, 
for so long a time, made it difficult for him in 



22 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

the commencement of his work to preach in 
his mother tongue. 

Moreover this was his first year in the min- 
istry ; and, as a matter of course, he lacked the 
experience which is so essential to ministerial 
success. The mentioning of this cannot be 
viewed as undervaluing the talents and zeal of 
our first German missionary ; for all are aware 
that some of the qualifications requisite for the 
ministerial work can only be obtained by per- 
sonal observations and forming an extensive 
acquaintance religiously with men and things. 

There was also found to be great opposition 
to the undertaking amongst the Germans them- 
selves. A spirit of persecution arose, which, 
had it not been for the excellent laws of our 
country that guaranty to all persons the privi- 
lege of worshiping God according to the dic- 
tates of their own conscience, would frequently 
have broken out in mob violence. 

Amid all his discouragements, however, the 
missionary persevered with untiring diligence. 
He visited from house to house, as far as he 
could gain access to the people. And after 
laboring several months, under the embarrass- 
ments just enumerated, with others besides, he 
made a report to the Corresponding Secretary 
of the Missionary Society of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, from which we take the 
following extract:-— 

"I arrived at my post on the 15th of Sep- 
tember. On taking a retrospective view of the 
first quarter of my probationary ministry, I 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 23 

mourn and tremble, when I reflect on what I 
might and what I ought to have done. At the 
same time, I thank and praise my God, that 
though it seemed as if I had no liberty to speak 
as I ought to speak, yet his Spirit found way 
to some hearts. One young German rejoices 
in the pardon of his sins,* and five others are 
desirous to be taught the way of salvation. 
When I look at myself, I am cast down ; but, 
blessed be God, I am not in despair. What 
should I fear, while power is given me to be- 
lieve that I am engaged in the work of God. 
I have met with a most violent opposition from 
my countrymen. In the German paper printed 
in this city, I have been repeatedly attacked in 
the spirit of the most bitter contempt ; but it 
had the good effect of drawing out a congre- 
gation. On Sabbath I have hitherto preached 
only in the evening, partly from the want of a 
meeting-house, and partly because I could not 
expect a congregation during the church hours 
of the other German ministers. But I made 
two appointments in the vicinity of Cincinnati, 
one in the house of a converted Catholic. My 
hearers there are a few Catholic families that 
have been searching the Scriptures for some- 
time. I feel as if the Lord had prepared the 
way. For all these openings of a kind Provi- 
dence, I desire to be thankful, and request the 
people of God in their prayers to remember 
the German mission at Cincinnati." 

* This young man in a few years became a preacher, and has 
ever since been one of our most successful German missionaries. 



24 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Here we see the dawn of a glorious work 
among the Germans, which has gradually in- 
creased, until hundreds have already been made 
the subjects of the converting grace of God; 
and still the work is deepening and widening — 
spreading east, west, north and south ; and the 
cry is heard in various directions, " Send us 
German missionaries." Prejudice has been 
removed from the minds of many ; and they 
are no longer satisfied with the outward forms 
of religion, but wish to enjoy it in ail its life 
and power. Many who have been at ease in 
Zion, and who have had a name to live, while 
they were dead, have, through the preaching of 
our missionaries, been brought to an experi- 
mental knowledge of salvation. Among these 
are some who were brought up in the Roman 
Catholic Church, and others in the Lutheran 
and German Reformed Churches. Others, 
again, have come to us from the ranks of open 
infidelity, and even several from the Jews. 
Many of them have indeed been brought in at 
the eleventh hour, their gray hairs and trem- 
bling limbs telling, m language not to be mis- 
understood, that they had well nigh finished 
their earthly pilgrimage. They were brought 
to see themselves sinners, and sought and ob- 
tained the pardon of their sins. Several have 
already died in the triumphs of living faith, and 
have gone to reap their glorious reward in the 
" house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens." Many heads of families have been 
converted, and, in some instances, whole house- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 25 

holds, including husband, wife and every child 
old enough to know good from evil. The 
writer is personally acquainted with a number 
of such families ; and he is rejoiced to state that 
in some cases, the husband, who was formerly 
dissipated and intemperate, disagreeable and 
abusive to his family, has now erected in his 
domestic circle the altar of devotion. All the 
members of the family live in harmony, and 
dwell in a quiet and peaceful habitation. Instead 
of contention and discord, the voice of prayer 
and the songs of praise are heard. A happy 
change, indeed! Many will thank God in 
time and in eternity, that the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church ever sent her missionaries among 
them. 

From a small beginning in the latter end of 
the year 1835, this glorious work has gradually 
spread; and now we have a missionary in 
nearly every principal town and city in the 
west, in which the German population is nu- 
merous. Having already referred to the origin 
of this work, we shall now notice its progress 
and extension up to the present time. And 
while we record, with gratitude to the great 
Head of the Church, the revivals of religion 
among the native Germans, we will also give 
an account of the personal experience of some 
of them, by which it will be seen that the 
effects of evangelical conversion are the same 
among all classes of men, however varied their 
language, education, habits and prejudices. 

Of hundreds of Germans it may be said, 
3 



26 ORIGIN AND FROGRESS OF 

that they who were once not a people are now 
the people of the Lord. They have been led 
in a way which they knew not. The object 
of many of them in immigrating to America, 
was the accumulation of wealth — the laying up 
of treasures on earth ; but now they have found 
the pearl of great price, and are endeavoring to 
"lay up treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break 
through and steal." And the language of their 
glad hearts is, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits." 



CHAPTER IV. 

PROGRESS OF THE WORK DURING THE 
FIRST YEAR IN CINCINNATI. 

At the end of the second quarter, the mis- 
sionary reported nine members received, and 
says, " These, together with five old members 
of the Church, who lend a helping hand, make 
up a good class. Though little has been done, 
none but the Lord could do it ; and he who has 
commenced the good work is able to carry it 
on. We will thank him for what he has done, 
and trust him for what is to come ; but if I 
should not succeed in winning my countrymen 
to Christ, I would beseech my brethren not to 
give up the German cause. The Germans, 
generally speaking, are not like those who hear 
the word, and anon, with joy receive it, but 
having no root in themselves endure but for a 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 27 

while. They will not lay their hands to the 
Gospel plough until they have fully made up 
their minds." With this little band the mis- 
sionary continued to labor ; and some of those 
who at first made great opposition, now began 
to look on with indifference. 

The number of members reported on the 
class-book at the close of the third quarter, was 
twelve. These, with their pastor, were looked 
on with disdain by their enemies ; yet they 
were firm to their purpose, offering up their 
daily prayers for their countrymen. The Gen- 
eral conference was in session at this time in 
Cincinnati. The Corresponding Secretary of 
the Missionary Society was in attendance as a 
delegate ; and during his stay, he received the 
missionary's third quarterly report, to which 
he made the following preface, which was pub- 
lished in the Western Christian Advocate : 
" Cincinnati, May 24, 1836. 

"Dear Brother, — Since my arrival in this 
city, I have received the following communi- 
cation on the state of the German population 
in this country, containing also suggestions as 
to the best means of doing them good. The 
tide of immigration which is setting in so 
strongly from Germany to this country, makes 
it desirable that we should adopt some efficient 
means for their enlightenment and salvation. 
That there should be seven thousand German 
Roman Catholics in the city of Cincinnati, and 
three thousand Protestants, is a fact which 
should awaken the serious inquiry in every pious 



28 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

mind, ; What shall I do for their spiritual bene- 
fit?' N. Bangs." 

In the report above referred to, the mission- 
ary, after mentioning the disinclination of many 
of the Germans to attend his public appoint- 
ments, says, " Under such circumstances, my 
ministry has been almost wholly confined to 
visiting from house to house. Such a work 
requires a combination of strong faith, lively 
hope, and ardent love, with talent and expe- 
rience, in each of which I feel myself very 
deficient. Notwithstanding this, the Lord has 
bestowed his blessing, which is more than all, 
upon my labor; and I have no doubt that if 
the Church continue to be 4 zealously affected 
in this good thing,' of bringing wandering for- 
eigners back to the Bishop and Shepherd of " 
their souls, the Lord will show us, by greater 
manifestations of his power and glory, that our 
labor is not in vain. Since my arrival here 
last September, about twenty-three Germans 
have been brought under awakening influence ; 
eight of them were Roman Catholics ; about 
ten express a hope of heaven, and twelve have 
their names on the class paper. But it is as 
difficult to preserve, as to raise up a German 
branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as 
none of our doctrinal and devotional books, not 
even our Discipline, are to be found in the Ger- 
man language." 

It will be seen from the above, that at the 
earliest period of our operations among the 
Germans, the necessity of some religious pub- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 29 

lications was seen and felt. And there can be 
no doubt but that much of the success which 
has attended our efforts, under the blessing of 
God, is attributable to the German publications 
that have since been issued from our own press. 
The religious condition of the Germans is 
described, in the report above referred to, in 
the following language : " Gross darkness cov- 
ers the minds of these immigrants, who are 
soon to be, in a most emphatic sense, bone of 
our bone, and flesh of our flesh. The major- 
ity of them are led captive by the Romish 
priests, and most of the Protestants are very 
far from believing to the saving of their souls.. 
Pelagianism, and even simple Deism, has been 
imposed upon them under the name of Chris- 
tianity, by the Rationalistic clergy of Germany. 
The most spiritual and comforting doctrines of 
our holy religion have been flattened into a mere 
system of outward morality, and have been 
embodied, as such, in catechisms and other 
school books ; so that the poison pervades the 
whole system. About three successive gener- 
ations have been brought up, not with the ' sin- 
cere milk' of the Gospel of the grace of God, 
but with the beggarly elements of human phi- 
losophy. The writings of the venerable re- 
formers, as well as the old hymn books, which 
are calculated to diffuse abroad the life and 
power of religion, are nearly out of print. In- 
deed, the German divines seldom condescend 
to give to the famishing multitude popular trea- 
tises on theology. Religion is rarely presented 
3* 



30 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

to the unlearned, other than as a dead skeleton 
in the form of a catechism. Under these cir- 
cumstances, should not some effort be made by 
the press to prepare the way of German mis- 
sionaries? The publication of a condensed 
view of the evidences of Christianity, and an 
introduction to the holy Scriptures, such as 
' Watson's Conversations' and ' Fletcher's Ap- 
peal,' would doubtless produce a great revolu- 
tion." 

We shall see in the progress of this history, 
that the above suggestions were not vague and 
idle speculations ; but that the hopes which 
were then entertained with regard to what might 
be done through the instrumentality of German 
publications, have since been realized to an en- 
couraging extent. 

Brother Nast continued his labors with una- 
bating zeal to the close of the conference year ; 
and while many refused to hear him in public, 
he hesitated not to go to their houses; and 
wherever he could find a few Germans togeth- 
er, he fearlessly proclaimed to them the un- 
searchable riches of Christ. No calumnies 
nor persecutions from his enemies could damp 
the ardor of his soul, for it burned with holy 
zeal for the salvation of his countrymen. 

During the year, he also visited several points 
in the country some distance from the city, and 
preached to the German congregations wherever 
they could be collected. Those who are in 
the least acquainted with the character of the 
Germans, and especially the firmness of their 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 31 

purpose in religious matters, be those matters 
right or wrong, will not be astonished to learn 
that it was an exceedingly difficult matter to in- 
troduce Methodism among them. It was some- 
thing entirely new for Germans in this country 
to hear a Methodist minister preach; and in 
many instances, self-interested and malicious 
persons spared no pains to prejudice the minds 
of such as might otherwise have been open to 
conviction. 

When all these things are taken into consid- 
eration, we may view the labors of the first 
year, as a triumph over prejudice, and as a pre- 
paration of the way for future success. We 
have reason to believe that many were awaken- 
ed during the year, who never came under the 
notice of the missionary. We have, in fact, 
heard of some, who, having since become 
converted, say that they received their first 
serious impressions while standing at the door 
of the church, or outside the windows, fearing 
to go into the house while brother Nast was 
preaching. 



CHAPTER V. 

ESTABLISHMENT OF A GERMAN MIS- 
SION IN THE BOUNDS OF COLUMBUS 
DISTRICT, OHIO CONFERENCE. 

In the autumn of 1836, brother Nast was 
appointed missionary to the Germans within 
the bounds of the Columbus district, Ohio con- 



32 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ference. During this year, he traveled several 
hundred miles over a large extent of country, 
visiting the different German settlements within 
the bounds of his circuit, every five weeks. 
Though the number of conversions this year 
was not great, yet it was sufficiently large to 
encourage him to hope for the salvation of 
many of his countrymen. Some of the fruits 
of this year's labor remain shining lights unto 
this day. After having regularly laid out his 
work, he made the following report, which 
contains a list of his appointments : 

" Worthington, O., Jan. 10, 1837. 
" Dear Brethren, — I have just returned 
from my second missionary round. Having 
been, through Divine mercy, saved from many 
seen and unseen dangers, and finding my pros- 
pects of doing good, far better than they were 
at Cincinnati, my heart is filled with gratitude. 
Though the difficulties with which I have to 
contend, are great and many, I hope to find 
verified the promise given to the Church of 
Philadelphia : ' I know thy works ; behold, I 
have set before thee an open door, and no man 
can shut it — for thou hast a little strength and 
hast kept my word and hast not denied my 
name.' I find my hands often tied by the 
strong prejudices of the Lutheran Church 
against our name. But I have been comforted, 
on the other hand, by seeing, in several instan- 
ces, Divine Providence open my way in a 
very remarkable manner. I found access to 
settlements where those that came with me 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 33 

over the sea, and others with whom I was ac- 
quainted in the old country, live ; and I hope 
the practical demonstration of what the grace 
of God effected in me, will, through the bles- 
sing of Heaven, not be lost upon their souls. 
Though, in some places, my countrymen are 
kept from attending my preaching, by the 
combined powers of superstition and infidelity, 
I can speak of a Savior's love and power on 
the road, around the fireside, and at the sick 
bed. My circuit is now formed. I travel in 
five weeks through an extent of nearly three 
hundred miles, and have about twenty-two 
preaching places. Making Columbus my first 
Sabbath appointment, I go through several 
German. settlements to Basle, on the canal; 
from there to Thornville, where I spend the 
second Sabbath; then through Newark, Mt. 
Vernon, to Danville, my third Sabbath appoint- 
ment; from Danville, I go through Loudon- 
ville, Mansfield, Gallion, to Bucyrus, where I 
preach the fourth Sabbath ; then through Ma- 
rion county, which is thickly settled with Ger- 
mans, to a German settlement near Delaware, 
where I preach the fifth Sabbath ; and return 
through Delaware and Worthington, to Colum- 
bus. Feeling painfully the need of help from 
Zion, I beg an interest in the prayers of the 
faithful, for the German mission. 

" I remain yours in the bonds of the Gospel, 
William Nast." 

As we at this time had only one German 
missionary, and as Cincinnati was a very im- 



34 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

portant point, the Germans there being very 
numerous, and constantly increasing by immi- 
gration, it was thought best, at the close of the 
year, to give up the Columbus mission for 
Cincinnati. Some of our brethren, indeed, 
went so far as to give the opinion, that as the 
Germans did not immediately embrace the 
Gospel truths which were delivered to them, 
it would be better to abandon the undertaking 
entirely. Brother Nast, however, at the close 
of the year, made a strong plea for the Ger- 
mans, before the conference, of which the fol- 
lowing is an extract. After some prelimina- 
ries, he said: 

"As I am the only one that is expected to 
speak for the Germans, let me hope that my 
obscurity will not act as a prejudice against the 
cause I plead. Upon the most enlightened 
part of Germans, a mere system of morality, 
without Gospel principles and motives, has 
been imposed under the name of rational Chris- 
tianity. Whilst some have gathered up a few 
of these moral truths, and mean to go to heav- 
en by the merit of their works, the multitude 
is feeding upon the husks for swine. ' The 
original rectitude and subsequent depravity of 
man, the incarnation and death of the Son of 
God for our redemption, a free justification by 
the grace of God, a regeneration of the whole 
man, consistent with universal holiness, enfor- 
ced on the ground that we are not our own, but 
Christ's ; the supernatural succors of the Di- 
vine Spirit, and the commanding doctrines of 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 35 

eternal judgment,' are things of which the vast 
majority of Germans have no conception. Be- 
ing accustomed to look to their moral preachers 
for nothing more than a mere beating of the 
air, and having for a long time seen the clergy 
in Germany contradicting the Gospel rule by 
their lives and characters, they lost their confi- 
dence in the Christian ministry. In short, the 
German Church and nation needs as great a 
work of reformation as the Church of England 
did in the time of John Wesley. And unless 
his doctrine bursts in floods upon the German 
immigrants, enlightening, alarming and convert- 
ing them by hundreds and thousands, and ex- 
erting such a reaction upon Germany that the 
pulpits, and colleges, and universities, and 
common schools will all feel it, there is 
reason to fear that the importation of German 
literature and German people, will exercise as 
demoralizing an influence upon the Americans 
as the French once exercised upon the Ger- 
mans. These are not imaginary apprehensions, 
brethren. For the German immigrants, among 
whom there have been of late, many well edu- 
cated and wealthy men, are about to hold yearly 
conventions, in order to perpetuate the German 
language and literature, German sentiments, 
manners and customs ; and if headed by some 
infidels, they will form themselves into a party 
strongly opposed to the religious observance of 
the Sabbath, and the benevolent institutions of 
this Gospel favored country. 

" Let me then come to a conclusion, by brief- 



36 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ly stating, that we might exercise a saving in- 
fluence upon the Germans through the press, 
by publishing in the German language some of 
our doctrinal tracts, the Wesley an Catechism, 
Fletcher's Appeal, some of Wesley's sermons, 
and, as soon as possible, a German Methodist 
periodical. As reasons for publishing the lat- 
ter, I would only mention, that the Roman 
Catholics publish at present a German religious 
paper at Cincinnati, and that nearly all the po- 
litical papers in the German language are filled 
with invectives against Christianity. As to the 
other works, they are absolutely needed, if the 
Germans are to be enlightened; for the sound 
religious literature of Germany consists of 
purely devotional books, of too large a size, 
and written mostly in a dry, scholastic, or mys- 
tical style ; and I know of no German work 
treating of the evidences of Christianity, and 
the doctrines of the Bible, in a popular, inter- 
esting, and evangelical manner. That they 
would buy and read them, might be concluded 
from the fact, that I saw several small works, 
for instance, < Merritt's Christian Manual', and 
' Lorenzo Dow's Chain of Reasoning,' publish- 
ed by booksellers, though in a miserable trans- 
lation. If private individuals undertake it for 
the sake of making money, how could the 
Church run any risk in doing it with an eye 
single to the glory of God, assisted by the pa- 
tronage of perhaps a thousand German mem- 
bers within her pale, and by the agency of her 
itinerant preachers throughout the Union ? The 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 37 

spirited support of the traveling- connection, in 
spreading either the paper or the other publica- 
tions, would of course be indispensable to our 
success. And I hope, that if we would only- 
attempt the work, we should meet with more 
support than we imagine. A few weeks ago 
I was requested, through the Christian Advo- 
cate and Journal, to give my post office address 
to a brother in South Carolina, who promises 
to communicate intelligence of advantage with 
regard to the German publications, which I pro- 
posed in my last report to the Corresponding 
Secretary of the Missionary Society. But it 
may be objected, will not the Albright Church 
provide for the wants of the Germans ? I an- 
swer, they try to do it to some degree, but their 
resources in money and learning are limited ; 
their arms cannot, at present, reach as far as 
ours ; they are yet a small people, and princi- 
pally confined to the country. Though it might 
be of great use to make them officially acquaint- 
ed with our design, in order to invite their co- 
operation and patronage, prevent any feelings 
of jealousy, and convince them of our disinter- 
ested desire to lend them a helping hand in 
spreading the Gospel among the Germans. For 
I believe it would be highly desirable to bring 
their Church, which is a genuine scion of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, into cordial fra- 
ternal relationship with ours. 

" Asking your indulgence for obtruding so 
freely my views, and most respectfully submit- 
ting all to the disposal of the conference, with 
4 



38 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

the earnest prayer, that, if my suggestions are 
'the work of my own mind, and not according 
to the mind and will of Divine Providence, the 
Lord would manifest his will to you ; lest the 
Church should be involved in fruitless expense, 
and myself in the inestimable injury of my 
own soul." 

The preceding remarks were published in 
the Western Christian Advocate, to which the 
following note was appended by brother Nast: 

" Since my return from conference, I receiv- 
ed a letter from the above-mentioned brother, 
Rev. J. B. Anthony, of the South Carolina 
conference, an extract of which I would beg 
the editors to insert here : 

" ' I was much pleased when I saw your ap- 
pointment to the German people in Ohio ; for 
I knew that unless they were more spiritual 
than they are in the Carolinas, they much need- 
ed the instructions of a Methodist minister. 
My soul has long felt for the German popula- 
tion, for they have been a neglected people, 
though they enjoy the outward means of grace. 
I would be very sorry should the mission be 
discontinued. But to the matter immediately 
before us : When I saw your report in the Ad- 
vocate last summer, respecting your field of 
labor, and your wish to publish some of our 
works in the German language, or to publish 
a German Methodist paper, I determined 
(though a poor Methodist traveling preacher) 
to give something for that purpose, if the work 
went on. I immediately made inquiry of two 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 39 

other brethren of this conference, who speak 
the German language, and we agreed to give 
ten dollars each, to be disposed of as :the pub- 
lishers might think best. If, therefore, you, 
or another brother, should undertake to publish 
a German Methodist paper, we will give $30 ; 
or if you determine to publish Methodist books, 
(which probably will be the best for the pres- 
ent,) we will take at least $50 worth. I think 
if our brethren in the Baltimore and Philadel- 
phia conferences would exert themselves a 
little, they might do a good deal toward pub- 
lishing our books in the German tongue. Cin- 
cinnati, I suppose, should be the place where 
our publications should be made, so as to get 
them into the hands of the immigrants who are 
settling in the west. When I saw your ap- 
pointment, I was very strongly moved to take 
a transfer to that conference. It is true, I can 
preach much better in the English language 
than in the German, yet I expected that I could 
be more useful there, by visiting them and 
speaking to them around the fire-side, in their 
mother tongue.' 

"If all our traveling brethren that speak the 
German language, would volunteer to be Ger- 
man missionaries, we could, with the blessing 
of God, soon form German circuits." 

As some suggestions were made by brother * 

Nast in reference to German publications, a 
committee of three was appointed by the con- 
ference to take the matter into consideration, 
and report thereon. The committee reported 



40 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

that it was not expedient to enter extensively 
into German publications at that time, but re- 
commended the publication of the three num- 
bers of the Wesleyan Catechism, our Articles 
of Faith, and the General Rules, which was ac- 
cordingly soon afterward done. 



CHAPTER VI. 

RE-APPOINTMENT OF AMISSIONARY AT 
CINCINNATI, AND COMMENCEMENT 
OF THE CHRISTIAN APOLOGIST. 

In the autumn of 1837, brother Nast was re- 
appointed to Cincinnati. This year his labors 
were crowned with greater success than they 
had heretofore been ; the prejudices against him 
were not so strong ; his hearers gradually in- 
creased, and at the close of the year, a consid- 
erable number attended on his ministry : a Sab- 
bath school, composed of German children, 
was also organized ; and at the ensuing confer- 
ence, he reported twenty-six members in so- 
ciety. 

During this year, a proposition was made to 
raise funds for publishing a religious paper in 
the German language, which was subsequently 
carried into operation. As this publication has 
excited considerable attention, and as we have 
reason to believe that it has been productive of 
much good, it may not be uninteresting to no- 
tice its origin and progress. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 41 

The proposition for publishing this paper, 
was made by the Rev. Thomas Dunn, of the 
North Ohio conference, through the medium 
of the Western Christian Advocate. The fol- 
lowing is the letter containing the proposition : 
"Waynesburg, 0., Feb. 15, 1838. 

" I wish to remark, that there are a number 
of German families within the bounds of this 
circuit. Some individuals among them have 
embraced religion and joined our Church. 
While looking over the fields already ripe for 
the harvest among this numerous and interest- 
ing people, and reading some things in the Ad- 
vocate on the subject, I have most ardently de- 
sired that some plan might be adopted to instruct 
them in the doctrines and discipline of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. The commence- 
ment of this work, I believe, should be by pub- 
lishing a German Christian Advocate, in con- 
nection with our Establishment at Cincinnati. 
It is well known that the Germans are scattered 
throughout our work in every direction. Such 
a paper, freighted with Gospel truth, extracted 
from our standard works, could be thrown 
among them in all parts of the country by our 
traveling preachers ; and the simple fact of its 
coming to them in their own language, would 
induce them to read. Their minds would there- 
by be enlightened, their prejudices removed, 
and as many of them as cannot read English, 
would learn to understand it so as to be edified 
under our ministry. They would come out to 
hear us preach, and would be gathered into the 
4* 



42 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Church. Further, I am confident I could get 
a number of subscribers to such a paper in the 
bounds of this circuit. I will not lengthen out 
my broken remarks on this subject, but propose 
to be one of three hundred who will donate 
$10 each, to aid in commencing such an enter- 
prise. Who will respond 1 or, rather, who will 
not? T. Dunn." 

No sooner was this subject laid before our 
people, than a simultaneous waking up was 
visible. All who gave the undertaking a pro- 
per consideration, acknowledged its great im- 
portance. Two weeks after Mr. Dunn's pro- 
position appeared, the following letter, contain- 
ing additional reasons for the prosecution of the 
plan, was published through the same medium : 
"Batavia, 0., March 14, 1838. 

"Dear Brethren, — In the 46th number of 
the Advocate, I saw a letter from brother T. 
Dunn, in which he proposes to be one of three 
hundred, to pay ten dollars each, to commence 
the publication of a German Christian Advo- 
cate, in connection with the Western Christian 
Advocate, in Cincinnati. I would most hearti- 
ly respond to this proposition ; and for doing 
so, I have many reasons, some of which I will 
here name. 

" First, it is a thing much to be desired by us, 
as a Church, that all who live among us and 
mingle in our society, should have a knowledge 
of our doctrines and disciplinary usages ; and 
of these, by far the greater part of the German 
population of this country are entirely ignorant ; 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 43 

for what information they have about us, is 
principally from those who are our opposers, 
and who most shamefully misrepresent us : 
consequently the thousands of our German 
neighbors know as little about the doctrine of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, as many of 
the untaught tribes of the forest. And when 
we consider the great number of Germans now 
filling up our cities and country (if the tide of 
German immigration should continue in regular 
ratio, for a few years to come, as it has for a 
few years past, in many places, one-third, if 
not more, of the population will be Germans ; 
if I am correctly informed, it is about that now 
in the city of Cincinnati,) it will, from this 
view, be doubly important to introduce some 
plan of operation, in which we will most likely 
succeed, to diffuse among our neighbors that 
knowledge which we believe so highly impor- 
tant to man's happiness here, and his welfare 
hereafter. I would not, however, be under- 
stood to say, that the Germans who come to 
this country are all unenlightened, with regard 
to the all important doctrines of religion ; for 
many of them are taught to read the Bible from 
childhood, and are taken through a regular 
course of religious instruction : but I do say, 
that a great majority of those even who have 
the name of Protestants, are in the dark with 
regard to the doctrine of salvation by faith, a 
present salvation from sin, regeneration, the 
witness of the Spirit, &c, as taught and be- 
lieved by us. Now, while they, through the 



44 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

German papers circulating through the country, 
hear us misrepresented, they will stand aloof 
from us, and our way to do them good will be 
closed up, in a great degree, while those preju- 
dices are retained against us. Therefore, after 
viewing the attitude we are placed in to our 
German neighbors, and feeling a great desire 
that something might be done to correct wrong 
impressions, and to instruct them in our doc- 
trine and economy, I can think of no plan that 
will be so likely to be successful as that of pub- 
lishing a German paper, in which extracts from 
our standard works might be inserted ; and in 
a few years, by devoting several columns to the 
work, the whole of Wesley's Sermons might 
be translated, and read by many of the Germans, 
who, without this method, never would read 
them; and who can estimate the good that 
might be done in this way ? And suppose the 
Church should not realize much profit from 
this paper at first, as many, no doubt, will be 
ready to fear, is not the prospect of doing good 
to the souls of our fellow men, sufficient to 
rouse the zeal of the Church on this subject? 
We view this matter with great anxiety and 
solicitude, and we do hope that some of our 
aged and influential brethren will bring this 
subject properly before the Church. Much 
has been done to enlighten the Indians, the 
Africans, and indeed almost all heathens, in 
every land. This is as it should be, and much 
more should be done than has been done. But 
are not souls in our own vicinity perishing for 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 45 

the lack of knowledge, equally as precious as 
those at a distance — and does not the future 
prosperity of our country much depend upon 
the course we pursue, in reference to the thou- 
sands immigrating from other countries ? Will 
not, then, my brethren wake up to this subject? 
"Will the proposition to raise three thousand 
dollars, be met by those who love the prosper- 
ity of Zion? While we plead for this, we 
feel that we are pleading the cause of precious 
and immortal souls. While writing these 
lines, I have a lively recollection of the time 
when the faithful minister of Jesus first ex- 
plained to my dark mind a free and full salva- 
tion, though ten long years have rolled away 
since the time. I can assure you, that three 
thousand dollars are to me, an insignificant 
consideration, when held in competition with 
a blessed hope of immortality and eternal life. 
Let our brethren, then, traveling in German 
settlements, mention this subject to the people, 
and ascertain, as far as possible, the prospect 
of success in this contemplated enterprise, and 
let us so talk, and think, and pray about it, as 
finally to be brought to action. Finally, if the 
editors of the Western Christian Advocate will 
publish these remarks, and there be no strong 
opposition from the proper authorities of the 
Church, we may, in a subsequent communica- 
tion, show other reasons why we so earnestly 
wish this enterprise to succeed. 

" Yours, in the vineyard of the Lord, 
"Adam Miller." 



46 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

To give the public a still better idea of the 
great importance of this publication, and of the 
real condition of numbers of our German pop- 
ulation, it will be necessary to insert other let- 
ters, published in the Western Christian Advo- 
cate, immediately after the appearance of Mr. 
Dunn's proposition. It is cheering to reflect 
that the expectations expressed in them have, 
to so great an extent, been realized. The fol- 
lowing is from brother Nast ; in it will be found 
a report, from a German paper, of a dialogue, 
in which the author gives an account of his 
own religious experience, and then attempts to 
account for the sudden conversions among the 
Methodists. 

" Cincinnati, March 19, 1838. 

' Dear Brethren, — Allow me to say a few 
words upon brother Dunn's proposition, to pub- 
lish a German Christian Advocate* — a project 
which will furnish the only antidote against 
the efforts of wicked and unreasonable men, to 
quench the last strivings of the Holy Spirit in 
the hearts of the misguided German immigrants. 
The picture of almost impenetrable darkness 
and reckless impiety, which is presented in the 
following extracts from the last number of the 
' Protestant,' ought to nerve every lover of God 
and man, to hasten to save what portion of im- 

* Before a name had been given to the contemplated German 
paper, it was, by general consent, called the German Advocate ; 
but afterward it was changed to the Christian Apologist, which 
conveys in German the same idea as the English word Advo- 
cate. The phrase is the more proper, as the first defenders of 
the Christian faith were called Apologists, and their writings 
against Jews and heathens, apologies, i. e., defenses. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 47 

mortal souls may yet be saved, from the venom 
of the old serpent. There has been felt a great 
deal of apprehension and sympathy,- with re- 
gard to the increasing influx of Roman Catho- 
lic immigrants ; but how much blacker appears 
the cloud, when we see the majority of Protes- 
tant German immigrants, miserably captured 
by clerical pirates, who, under the flag of an 
orthodox Christian Church, lay in wait for un- 
wary souls, to make them scoffers of salvation, 
and opposers to Cod ! Who can be more like 
sheep without a shepherd, than the German 
immigrants ? The one part, held in the iron 
grasp of superstition ; the other, receiving the 
deadly draught of infidelity, from the hand of 
those who should administer to them the pure 
word of God : both parties operated upon by 
the unremitting influence of a weekly press, 
the more fatal, as there is none to contradict — 
no herald of salvation, no advocate of Bible 
religion, 'no voice of wisdom crying in the 
streets, in the chief place of concourse, in the 
opening of the gates : How long, ye simple 
ones, will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners 
delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowl- 
edge V Shall, then, error alone open its wide 
mouth, and truth be dumb ? For it is to be re- 
membered, that the Lutheran Observer, to which 
the Protestant makes so loud and grave objec- 
tions, on account of its "Revival Department, is 
printed in the English language. Much might 
be said, why this paper is not published in Ger- 
man ; and the reason, if told, would point out 



48 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

our duty more clearly and forcibly. Now, will 
American Christians hail these immigrants as 
fellow citizens, and partakers of the same civil 
liberty, and yet leave them under the thraldom 
of spiritual ignorance and soul-destroying error 1 
How much has the Church done, and is still 
doing, for a far less number of neglected In- 
dians ! How much money, how much labor 
has been bestowed, how many lives have been 
nobly sacrificed, to hold forth the word of life 
to their perishing souls ? I am far from inti- 
mating, that too much has been felt and done 
for the small savage tribe in the lonely forest. 
But permit me to ask, why shall we feel less 
solicitude for the salvation of those, whom 
Providence has made our nearest neighbors ; 
whose interests are linked closely with ours ; 
with whom we daily converse, and to whom 
we can speak without an interpreter ? 
"But if we desire them to be partakers of our 
holy religion, what means, more adapted to the 
nature of the case and spirit of the age ; what 
more powerful instrument against false doc- 
trines ; what speedier pioneer, to prepare the 
way of the Lord for traveling preachers, could 
we use, than the contemplated paper, exhibit- 
ing the doctrines and discipline of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, by extracts from our 
standard works ? It would be able to make its 
way through all opposition, to every region of 
country and every class of society. The ef- 
fects which it might have upon the Roman 
Catholics as well as Protestants, in this coun- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 49 

try, and even upon Germany, are indeed incal- 
culable. I am happy to say, that within a few 
days, two German, and two English brethren, 
gave me their names, to make part of the three 
hundred. 

" How much for the better have the prospects 
of the German mission already changed ! In 
answer to persevering prayer, a cloud of mercy 
is seen rising. The congregations are growing 
larger every Sabbath, and eighteen have been 
received into the Church since conference. 
Our Articles of Religion and General Rules, 
and Catechisms, are being printed, and excite 
much inquiry and interest. Another encour- 
aging circumstance, is, that the Tract Society 
of our Church, at New York, has authorized 
me to translate such of our tracts as are best 
adapted for the German population, and to send 
them for publication to New York. Last Sa- 
turday and Sabbath, brother A. Miller labored 
with us at our two days' meeting. We admin- 
istered, the first time in the German language, 
the emblems of the dying love of Christ. Sev- 
eral of the communicants felt the love of God 
in a greater degree than they had ever before 
realized at a sacramental occasion. We also 
held the first German love feast ; and the Head 
of the Church deigned to own and .bless the 
little flock. Our English brethren, though not 
understanding our language, felt the Divine 
presence, and could not contain themselves. 
The Sabbath evening meeting was peculiarly 
interesting. Brother Hamline, constrained by 
5 



50 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

the love of Christ, approached the altar, at the 
close, and told his experience in English, which, 
notwithstanding the disadvantages arising from 
interpretation, was listened to with solemn at- 
tention. 

"For the purpose of informing your readers 
respecting the misrepresentations, contained in 
the German Protestant of this city, the follow- 
ing is selected. Of the late revival at Dayton, 
the editor speaks in the following manner: 

" ' Soon we shall see the promise fulfilled, 
"one flock and one Shepherd." Methodists, 
Presbyterians, and Baptists, held, as we see 
from a letter of one of our correspondents at 
Dayton, meetings three times a day, since 
Christmas, in the different churches. The 
meetings lasted usually till midnight. Like 
the frantic priests and priestesses at Delphi, 
five preachers, one in the pulpit and four among 
the crowd, tried to keep up the excitement, by 
stamping, beating with the fist, hallooing, 
preaching and praying, of course, in different 
languages. What is most to be deplored, is, 
that even some spurious Lutheran and German 
Reformed preachers fell in with this mode of 
worship, and denied their faith, in order to open 
the floodgate of mysticism, with impunity, and 
not to remain behind these fanatics in making 
proselytes. This mysticism, which, like the 
plague, has taken hold of the inhabitants of the 
United States, and is still spreading, leads, un- 
der the cloak of religion, away from all relig- 
ion, confounds the faith of the weak, and, in- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 51 

stead of convincing the understanding of the 
truth, and making the heart susceptible for its 
reception, excites only the animal man, and 
produces a desire after mere forms, without 
considering, that the form is nothing but the 
shell without a kernel. This propensity for 
forms and ceremonies, leads those Pseudo-Pro- 
testants more and more back to Roman Cathol- 
icism ; for Roman Catholicism originated in 
the Talmud of the Jews, and borrowed from 
Judaism all its ceremonies. We shall then 
shortly see these nominal Protestants, who 
are filled with heathenish frenzy, Presbyte- 
rians, Methodists and Baptists, united with Ro- 
man Catholics and Jews, into one great flock, 
in order to build again the great tower of Babel, 
if the undertaking does not fail on account of 
the builders' madness.' 

" Of his own religion he gives us a specimen 
in the following dialogue between a captain 
and a parson, respecting the other world : 

" < C. What a pity it is, Mr. Parson, that 
we know nothing of our state after death. Of 
what avail is all our knowledge, if we remain 
in the dark upon this point ? 

" < P. It must not be dark, though we should 
not know the certainty of it. But do you think 
such knowledge would be a benefit to us ? 

" ' C. How do you mean ? 

" 'P. You, sir, are now captain. 

" < C. Yes, sir. 

" 'P. If I now should tell you, as soon as 



52 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

you open this room and go in, you will be ma- 
jor, what would you do? 

m «.ft The answer is plain — I would go in. 

" ' P. And if man knew that he would pass, 
immediately after death, into a better state of 
existence, what, do you think, would he do, if 
he met with any trouble or vexation? 

" -* C, Um ! — In all probability, he would 
blow out his brains. 

" i P. I think so, too. By far the greater 
part of mankind would leave their stations be- 
fore their time. Judge, then, what dangerous 
gift God would have bestowed, if he had given 
us a certain knowledge upon this subject. He 
would have destroyed his own work. 

" 6 C. This is true. I will therefore not be 
major before the time.' 

" There is also in the last number, a long 
article respecting the Methodists, which is full 
of historical as well as moral misrepresenta- 
tions. He says, for instance, that Mr. Wesley 
and Mr. Whitefield were not ordained minis- 
ters, and therefore not permitted to preach in 
churches. To account for the wonderful effects 
which followed Mr. Wesley's preaching, he 
says, ' that he commenced his experiments of 
conversion, with criminals in prison, and with 
the rabble in public places of amusement — de- 
scribing the natural corruption of man in the 
blackest colors, and then suddenly raising up 
again the minds, tortured by fear and anguish, 
through the offering and praising of the alone 
saving merit of Christ, which man can appro- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 53 

priate to himself, without any merit or act of 
his own, by mere faith. How great such an 
excitement must be, especially if produced in 
a criminal, who has lost the full and right use 
of his intellect, and to whom, of all his feel- 
ings, none other than that of guilt and death re- 
maineth, is easily imagined. As one that is 
near drowning, catches at a straw, in hope of 
being saved, so the criminal, tormented by the 
fear of approaching death, and the conscious- 
ness of his crimes, trembling at the fate which 
might befall him after death, catches at every 
word of comfort ; but in the disorder of his 
body and mind, every thing that affects him, 
either powerfully or beneficially, produces spas- 
modic convulsions, sighing and groaning. And 
it is this observation, which led Wesley and 
Whitefield to the enthusiastic belief of a sud- 
den conversion, under sighing, groaning, and 
convulsion, of a sudden consciousness of a 
moral change in man — of a descent of the Holy 
Ghost upon the enlightened or convicted — of 
an intimate communion of God, with those who 
are able to produce such effects by their dis- 
courses, and of an especial presence of God at 
their sermons.' Wm. Nast." 

The foregoing letter presents a fair specimen 
of the weapons with which Methodism was 
assailed by its enemies among the Germans, at 
its commencement. Without a periodical in 
their own language, it was impossible to reply 
to those false statements, or to correct the erro- 
neous impressions that were made upon the 
5* 



54 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

minds of the simple inquirers after truth. Those, 
then, who advocated the publication of a Ger- 
man religious paper, advocated the cause of 
God, and the salvation of souls. This paper, 
as the reader is already aware, was speedily- 
commenced, and it has now arrived at its fifth 
volume; and no one, viewing the extensive 
good which it has been the means of accom- 
plishing, can, for a moment, regret that he aided 
in its establishment. 

Relative to this contemplated publication, the 
editor of the Pittsburg Conference Journal 
spoke as follows: 

"We perceive by the Western Christian 
Advocate, that the brethren at the Western 
Book Concern, are making a vigorous effort to 
commence a German Methodist paper, to be 
called the German Christian Advocate. There 
is no doubt such a paper is much needed, and 
if established, will do immense good. Several 
German papers are published in this country, 
professedly religious, but it is to be regretted, 
that some of these are more favorable to infi- 
delity than Christianity ; such, in particular, is 
the character of one published in Cincinnati, if 
we may judge from the extracts which we have 
seen from its columns. The Methodist Epis- 
copal Church has an able and devoted mission- 
ary at work among the German population in 
Cincinnati and vicinity. He is a man of more 
than ordinary literary acquirements, and withal 
a native German. Cincinnati is, on this ac- 
count, as well as on others, the very place for 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 55 

a German paper. Let our brethren there go 
on — no doubt they will succeed ; and we shall 
be much disappointed, if they do not receive 
considerable encouragement from Pennsylva- 
nia. We are acquainted with a number of 
German Methodists in this state, who would 
think it a great privilege to help on with so 
good a work. Some of them are subscribers 
to our paper, and we will give them the plan 
which has been adopted to establish the Ger- 
man Christian Advocate, that they may come 
forward in behalf of their destitute brethren, 
with a liberal hand ; and to some of those who 
are not subscribers, but who, we are sure, will 
not be backward in this good work, we will 
take occasion to send a copy this week. 

" The plan is this, to raise $3,000, by $10 
subscriptions. . This will require three hundred 
subscribers, and this amount will be required 
to start the paper fairly, as the number of sub- 
scribers, who take the paper, will of course, 
be small at first. There is no doubt three hun- 
dred will be found willing to give this amount 
to so good an object, and some even more than 
this. We will, very cheerfully, transmit the 
names of any who are willing to become sub- 
scribers, if it be more convenient to send in 
their names to us, than to Wright and Sworm- 
stedt, Cincinnati. Let us see what can be 
done." 

In the Western Christian Advocate, the an- 
nexed letter was published, with the following 
additional remarks, by the editor: "Brother 



56 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Nathaniel Callender, of the Pittsburg confer- 
ence, who also speaks German, highly recom- 
mends the proposed paper ; and he informs us, 
that the late Bishop Emory took a very active 
part in promoting the spiritual interests of our 
German brethren, and had some plans of great 
importance, in a state of considerable maturity 
in reference to the matter; but his sudden 
death prevented their development. It remains 
with those who are yet spared, to plan and act 
for the benefit of our race." 

" Sharon circuit, Pittsburg conference, ] 
March 21, 1838. 

" The noble scheme, proposed by a brother, 
T. Dunn, in your paper of March 9th, ought 
by no means to be lost sight of ; even whilst 
other noble plans for doing good are in pro- 
gress. I do sincerely hope his call will be re- 
sponded to in the west, as Theophilus' is an- 
swered in the east, and the three hundred con- 
tributors of $10 each, be forthcoming. A Ger- 
man Christian Advocate will help our cause 
much — much. In my labors amongst the 
Germans, I have often felt the want of some 
such assistant. Tracts, books, &c, in the 
German language, ought, by all means, to be 
issued from our press. And, perhaps, it would 
be well to establish a German press exclusive- 
ly. I wish I could subscribe three hundred 
times ten dollars : you should have my name 
for the whole amount called for. Come, breth- 
ren, whilst our German friends are helping 
us, in reference to the English population, let 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 57 

us cheerfully reciprocate their kindness, by 
meeting, at least, the present small demand for 
three hundred subscribers of $10 each; espe- 
cially let German descendants now take hold. 
I am ready with my $10, as soon as you say, 
send it on, &c. J. K. Miller." 

In the same religious journal, the following 
letter was also published : 

"Dear Brethren, — I am very much de- 
lighted to see a proposition to publish a Ger- 
man Christian Advocate. Nothing in all our 
country is more needed. It seems to me, that 
if the means were properly applied, it would 
not be long until the holy fire would be scatter- 
ed from Dan even to Beersheba, and all the 
different dialects would soon be employed in 
the propagation of light and knowledge. Let 
me say, through you, to the western world, 
that we have, in the providence of God, for- 
eigners thrown among us — many German for- 
eigners, who are to be our future neighbors, 
and to marry with our children, and to take 
hold on the helm of our government, and to 
bear a part in steering our political ship. But 
many of these want the information necessary 
to all these purposes. Now, my dear friends, 
it remains no longer a question, whether it is 
our duty to afford the means. Their present 
relation to us and God himself, require that 
they should have it, and it is our duty to send 
help. I was delighted with the proposition to 
publish a German Christian Advocate, and wish 
you to consider me a subscriber of ten dollars, 



58 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

to meet the proposition, for that purpose. 
This I conceive to be an enterprise of the first 
importance, and do, through your paper, most 
earnestly and respectfully request the preachers 
on their circuits, and all the people, to take this 
matter into consideration, and let us fill up the 
amount proposed, by the first of June next ; so 
that the work may be commenced immediately. 
The interests of both worlds require it. Let 
Zion rise and shake herself, and put on her 
beautiful garments, and gird on the whole ar- 
mor of God ; for the day is fast approaching 
when there will be a mighty battle fought be- 
tween infidelity and Christianity, between light 
and darkness, Christ and Belial. There ought 
to be no neutrals, there will be none, when all 
the professing world are weighed in the bal- 
ance. O, how many thousand Antinomian 
professors now sleep in carnal security, and 
dream of heaven with all its untold and immor- 
tal pleasures, that will hear the eternal Judge 
say, in that day, ' Depart, depart, ye cursed, 
ye covetous, lovers of money more than of 
God, and the salvation of souls ! ' Awake, 
slumbering professor, and come up to our help 
on this occasion. Send your names to the 
Agents of the Book Concern, as subscribers to 
the enterprise proposed, to enlighten your Ger- 
man brethren. Take them by the hand, and 
say, ' Be thou fed and clothed with the bread 
of life, and the garments of righteousness, and 
thou shalt hear, if thou art faithful until death, 
" Come thou blessed of my Father, enter into 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 59 

eternal life." ' God bless the world, and save 
saints and sinners, is my prayer. 

"J. B. FlNLEY." 

In a subsequent number of the Western 
Christian Advocate, the editors introduce other 
letters, and an editorial notice, as follows : 
" The German paper appears to receive week- 
ly, new and increased attention. At our re- 
quest, brother Nast has translated, for our col- 
umns, the following letters, which will show 
that God is raising a number of Germans to 
take hold of this noble enterprise. We have 
reason to believe that the paper will be the 
means of enlisting and uniting the services of 
a large number of native Germans, who will 
be extensively useful to their countrymen in 
America, and will also materially benefit Ger- 
many. Below, also, we give the notice of the 
Christian Advocate and Journal, which we 
present to our readers as another strong testi- 
mony in favor of the new paper. 

" Wheeling, Va., April 26, 1838. 

" Dear Sir, — Several communications from 
you, which appeared in the religious papers of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, respecting 
your labors, and the lively interest which you 
manifested for the salvation of our German 
countrymen, excited a desire in me to open a 
correspondence with you, having no opportu- 
nity, at present, to make your personal ac- 
quaintance. 

"I have resided about eighteen months in 
the United States. My native country is the 



60 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

kingdom of Hanover. Why I was induced to 
leave my fatherland, a loving mother and affec- 
tionate friends, and go to a strange land, I be- 
gin now to understand. I see in it the ringer 
of God. It was his inscrutable providence 
which inspired me with this thought, and help- 
ed me to execute it. No earthly riches had 
the Lord destined for me. No, something in- 
finitely more valuable — the salvation of my 
soul. The infinite grace of our Lord opened 
my eyes, under the preaching of Methodist 
ministers, to see the bottomless abyss, at the 
edge of which I unconsciously stood ; and this 
mercy pointed out the way and the means by 
which I should escape the wrath to come — 
faith in the Lamb ! 

" The conviction that thousands of my Ger- 
man countrymen are in the same danger of has- 
tening to their everlasting ruin, blinded and led 
astray by false teachers and guides, induces me 
to give up my present mercantile business, and 
to devote my life and faculties to the Lord, and 
to my German brethren. In a few days I shall 
leave this place for Meadville, in order to pre- 
pare myself for this holy calling, for which I 
pray the Lord to give me a pure heart and 
strength from above. 

"For a long tinie the German people and 
the German heart have been neglected and mis- 
apprehended in this country; but I rejoice that 
our American brethren begin to feel more the 
claims of the German population, and that their 
salvation is now an object of lively interest with 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 61 

them. To the intended German Christian Ad- 
vocate, I wish all success, and I will cheerfully 
contribute to it, by my pen, according to my 
ability. Only through such means can the 
eyes of our German brethren be opened, and 
their prejudices against Methodism removed. 
May the Lord bless this undertaking, and may 
many Germans' hearts be added, through your 
labors, to the flock of the Lord ! 
" Respectfully, yours, 

"C. H. Doering." 

" Dear Brethren, — Your ' German Chris- 
tian Advocate ' will be of more value to the 
cause of truth, and to the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, than mine, or any mind on earth, can 
estimate. I make haste to send you my name, 
and ten dollar subscription. I feel an indescri- 
bable joy at this movement. I expect, in a few 
weeks, to see this new star shine in our moral 
heavens, beside our own Western Christian 
Advocate. 

" Yours, sincerely, A. W. Elliott." 

The Christian Advocate and Journal says, 
" It appears from the Western Christian Advo- 
cate, that our brethren of the west are making 
noble efforts to establish a religious paper in the 
city of Cincinnati, to be entitled the German 
Christian Advocate. A number of liberal con- 
tributions are already pledged for the support 
of such a paper. We were highly pleased with 
this project when we first saw it announced, 
and intended to notice it ; but the temporary 
absence of the senior editor, and the subsequent 
6 



62 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

failure of the Western Christian Advocate to 
reach our table as usual, have occasioned a de- 
lay of such notice. 

" We are happy to learn that the enterprise 
is likely to be sustained. There is more de- 
pending upon having a well-conducted religious 
paper in German, liberally sustained, in this 
country, than strikes the mind at first thought. 
Vast numbers are immigrating every year to 
this country, with whom intercourse can be had 
only through the medium of the German lan- 
guage. There are about thirty thousand in this 
city. But the great tide of this description of 
population is setting in at the west. Large 
agricultural districts are rilling up with them. 
When we consider that they are broken of? from 
their religious affiliations, and, with feelings 
eminently inclined to venerate the institutions 
of religion, they have a taste for perusing relig- 
ious works in their own language, there is no 
calculating the amount of good that may be 
done among them, by furnishing them with a 
well-conducted religious periodical, before they 
shall be brought under the control of some other 
influence. Occupying for several years past, 
a position on the great western thoroughfare, 
where we were almost constantly presented 
with ocular evidence of the multitudes of this 
class emigrating to the west, we have been deep- 
ly impressed with the importance of establish- 
ing missions among them, and otherwise labor- 
ing for their spiritual benefit. We have ascer- 
tained, however, that it is difficult to procure 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 63 

suitable missionaries to supply this field — and 
the prospect on this score is limited. It is also 
difficult to instruct them by means of books and 
tracts, as there are so few of the right kind 
printed in their language. True, an arrange- 
ment has been entered into for publishing a few 
tracts in German, with a view of doing some- 
thing toward meeting this demand. But what 
are these among so many? It strikes us that 
a suitable periodical is the very thing that is 
needed — the desideratum. It was a happy 
thought ; and we most sincerely hope that the 
project will be liberally sustained, so that the 
paper may have an extensive gratuitous circu- 
lation, which, we doubt not, will result in great 
good." 

In a still later number of the Western Chris- 
tian Advocate, the editors, in introducing anoth- 
er letter, give the following cheering intelli- 
gence: "We continue to receive encourage- 
ment toward this noble project. Our standard 
works are already commenced, both in refer- 
ence to Germany and America. Our Articles, 
General Rules, and Three Catechisms, are 
already published ; and some copies have been 
sent to Germany. Watson's Institutes, Tracts, 
Discipline, &c, will soon follow. The Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church will not be negligent 
in her official authorities, to do the great work 
proposed by individual enterprise. Germany 
must have the advantages of the Methodist doc- 
trines, and she will have them before long, 



64 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

God favoring the attempt. Read the following 
letter from our beloved brother Drake, of the 
Mississippi conference : 

" < Washington, Miss., May 4, 1838. 
"'Brothers Elliott and Hamline, — I 
have noticed the proposition in the Western 
Christian Advocate, to publish a religious jour- 
nal in the German language. I am pleased, 
exceedingly delighted with the suggestion. To 
the Germans we owe much. But for the zeal 
and intrepidity of Luther and his associates, 
we might all have been the slaves of Rome to 
this day. The idea of having our standard 
theology circulated in the heart of Germany, 
is a bright vision to me. What may not God 
work by its means ? That there should be 
brought into our Church, at this time, and in 
Cincinnati, a man so well qualified to conduct 
such an enterprise, as I presume brother Nast 
is, appears to me a most evident opening of 
Providence. I sincerely hope the Book Com- 
mittee of the Western Concern, will assume 
the responsibility of issuing the paper, so soon 
as the requisite sum is subscribed. I have only 
seen a few brethren since the proposition came 
under my notice, and with a very little effort, 
I send you nine names, subscribers of ten dol- 
lars each, to meet the proposition of brother 
Dunn. I am at a loss to know how to send 
you the money, as our currency would be of 
little use to you. So soon as the paper is com- 
menced, you may consider me as responsible 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 65 

for the whole ; and call on me by draft or oth- 
erwise. 

" « Yours, very affectionately, 

"<B. M. Drake."' 

Subsequently, the two following letters ap- 
peared in the Western Christian Advocate : 
"Zanesville, 0., Aug. 14, 1838. 

" Dear Brethren, — -Permit me to say a few 
words in behalf of the contemplated German 
Christian Advocate. I feel, with brother Wi- 
nans of the south, deeply afflicted in spirit, to 
think that an enterprise so glorious, and calcu- 
lated to do good through all time, and bring 
glory to God for ever, should languish as this 
appears to do. O, tell it not west of the Rocky 
mountains — publish it not in the streets of Mon- 
rovia, that only $1500 have been pledged in six 
months, to permanently establish a religious 
newspaper for the benefit of the tens of thous- 
ands of the children of Germany among us. 

" This was the first thought that occupied 
my mind when I awoke this morning ; and be- 
fore I arose, my thoughts mounted fancy's 
wings, and traveled from this to the Scioto, and 
down that valley to Portsmouth ; thence down 
the Ohio, sweeping the whole country for miles 
north, till I arrived at the mouth of the Little 
Miami; then up this river and its tributary 
streams, till I got among the fine cattle farms 
in the plains ; thence through the Mad River 
country, then crossed over to the great Miami, 
thence down this rich valley to the mouth. 
This done, I had traveled over as good, if not 
6* 



66 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

the best body of land the sun ever shone on. 
Scattered over the above country, I know hun- 
dreds who could give ten dollars to start this 
paper, if their hearts were so disposed, and not 
feel it. Among them, there are many descend- 
ed from the German stock, and have become 
rich in this land of plenty. 

" Brethren, I call on you in the name of God, 
whose stewards you are, not to close your eyes 
this night, until you bow before your Maker, 
and pray for the Germans, and about this paper, 
for twenty-five minutes ; then I shall know what 
you will do. God knows, and you know, that 
you have been making money rapidly for a 
few years. Just think of it for one minute — 
from four to six dollars per hundred for pork 
and beef, and every thing in proportion. You 
have built houses and barns, and bought more 
farms at from ten to forty dollars per acre, and 
will you not pay ten dollars ? Your heavenly 
Father can take it off your doctor's bill, or add 
it to the price of a horse ; but you are not ac- 
tuated by motives so sordid. You willingly 
pay five or six dollars for a bushel of clover- 
seed. Why? Because you expect thirty, six- 
ty, or an hundred-fold. Give, O, give your 
ten dollars to start the German Christian Ad- 
vocate, in Cincinnati ; then look at the increase, 
through time ; then cross over Jordan, and be- 
- hold the golden harvest, waving and shouting 
on the eternal plains of glory. Come, fathers 
and brethren, wake up, pray over this matter, 
and work while it is called day, and you will 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 67 

have your reward in time and eternity. You 
and I will soon die ; then who will inherit what 
we have ? Let us do as the venerable Mr. 
Wesley advised — get all you can in a proper 
way — save all you can, then give all you can. 
O that the Lord may dispose all our hearts to 
do his will, and then receive us to glory, for 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

"I am your unworthy brother in Christ, 
"Wm. Simmons." 
" Tarlton, Pickaway county, 0., > 
Nov. 23, 1838. $ 

" Messrs. Wright and Swormstedt, — I 
was very glad when our Church determined to 
publish a German religious periodical. In this 
enterprise she should have embarked long 
since ; for it may be, through her negligence 
many souls will be lost for whom Christ died. 
Through the medium of the press, she has it 
in her power to send them the bread of life, 
and the waters of salvation ; and, thank God, 
she is resolved to exercise this ability, and 
forthwith furnish them with the means of grace, 
by using of which they may grow wise unto 
salvation. Now, beloved brethren, if all your 
agents would but take a deep interest in the 
prosperity of the Apologist, and without delay 
present its claims to the German public, your 
subscription list would soon increase from tens 
to hundreds, and from hundreds to thousands. 
Can we do unto others as we would they 
should do unto us, and not solicit our German 
neighbors to take the Apologist? Surely we 



58 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

cannot. I have presented the prospectus to a 
number of Germans, and have succeeded in 
obtaining four subscribers ; and believe, when 
the paper is published, so that they can see its 
size, and read its contents, many more will 
subscribe. May Heaven bless the enterprise, 
and save the Germans of North America and 
of the world. 

"I remain yours, respectfully, 

" James Boyd Austin." 

After the importance of this publication had 
been presented in so strong a light, and consid- 
erable progress had been made in the collection 
of funds, the question arose, Have the Agents 
at Cincinnati, the right to commence it without 
authority from the General conference? In 
order to decide this, the Book Committee at 
Cincinnati, recommended that the Eev. J. F. 
Wright should attend a meeting of the Bishops 
at New York, which he accordingly did. He 
laid the whole matter before them, and solicited 
their advice. They unanimously recommend- 
ed the commencement of the publication, as 
will be seen from the following remarks of the 
editors of the Western Christian Advocate : 

" We are happy to learn that the Bishops, at 
their recent meeting at New York, unanimous- 
ly recommended the Agents at Cincinnati, to 
commence the publication of a paper in the 
German language, provided this could be done 
without loss to the Book Concern. We have 
heretofore presented the claims of this publica- 
tion, without being able to state definitely that 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 69 

the official authorities of the Church would 
fully enter into the proposed plan. We are 
now happy to learn, that all, east and west, 
north and south, cordially, indeed zealously, 
encourage this undertaking. In order to give 
confidence to the publishers, considering the 
fewness of subscribers, and the losses unavoid- 
ably arising from scattered and distant ones, it 
will be necessary to make up the bonus of 
three thousand dollars, a part of which only is 
subscribed. Let those, therefore, who favor 
this noble project, send in their names as do- 
nors, for the purpose of making up this sum. 
A prospectus, both in German and English, 
will be prepared and circulated without delay ; 
and no time will be lost by those concerned 
here, to hasten the commencement of the Ger- 
man paper." 

It was now resolved that the Agents at Cin- 
cinnati should proceed with the publication, as 
soon as the necessary arrangements could be 
made. The first number made its appearance 
about the first of January, 1839. The amount 
required, had not been entirely made up ; and 
in order to urge its claims more forcibly upon 
the Christian public, a committee was appoint- 
ed to prepare an address to the members and 
ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

The address is inserted in this work on ac- 
count of the valuable information it contains in 
reference to the German population of this 
country. 

" No human mind, as we apprehend, can 



70 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

invent weightier or purer motives to benevolent 
action, than those which have pressed a num- 
ber of Christian philanthropists into the service 
of this ' Christian Apologist.' We despair of 
presenting the enterprise in a light as clear and 
impressive as truth demands. Could we do it, 
we are sure that every Christian who might 
pause and survey it, would intensely desire to 
do something for the Apologist at this juncture. 
" The importance of this paper to the Ger- 
mans, has not, we believe, been disputed. 
This paper may be considered our German 
■ missionary bishop? (borrowing a phrase from 
our Protestant Episcopal neighbors.) It is to 
travel over the whole land, to teach and warn, 
and by the blessing of God, to convert and 
build up. It is to visit several thousand fami- 
lies weekly, and discourse to men, women, 
and children — to good and bad, pious and pro- 
fane, on the subjects of sin — death — and the 
judgment; and above all, to tell about Jesus, 
the new birth, sanctification, and the felicity 
and glory of the saved. You have often heard 
by the Western Christian Advocate, what a 
reading people these Germans are, and how 
much this voiceless, yet persuasive missionary 
will be likely to accomplish, if we can but fur- 
nish it for its journeys, and keep it in the itin- 
erant field, ceaselessly pressing along our high- 
ways and river courses ; never tiring, never 
sleeping, never checked by cold, sleet, or snow ; 
and with a sort of ubiquity, pouring forth its 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 71 

pathetic strains in a thousand cabins, at one 
and the same moment. 

"If you will yield to the Apologist these 
important functions, (and surely you will,) you 
cannot view its publication of secondary im- 
portance ; or should you, permit us to urge on 
your attention the following facts : 

" There are hundreds of thousands of Ger- 
mans now among us. In this great valley 
they are become a large proportion of the in- 
habitants. You may say of them as the Ro- 
man said of the early Christians, ' Every place 
is full of them.' We deem it safe to assume, 
that there are more Germans in the Mississippi 
valley than there are Indians beyond the Rocky 
mountains ; indeed, we may say, there are 
more Catholic, neologistic, and skeptical Ger- 
mans in this great west, than there are heathens 
in the whole Pacific territory of the United 
States. Between the abused privileges and re- 
ligious states of these and those, we leave you 
to seek resemblances and differences, as the 
Bible warrants. The office of judging requires 
no skillful casuistry, or infallible prudence ; 
inasmuch as the Bible teaches us that, ' to 
whom much is given, of him much will be re- 
quired.' Now, bethink you with what zeal 
the Church is commissioning messengers to 
pass over the deserts, and scale the mountains 
of the remote west, to reach some eighty thous- 
and Indians who know not God. In that good 
work, gold and silver are offered almost with- 



72 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

out measure, and the whole land urges forward 
the enterprise. 

" And by what rule do we leave our country 
and sail all the way by Cape Horn and the 
Pacific islands ; or traverse the almost intermin- 
able deserts for six long months, to preach 
Jesus in the valley of the Multnomah, and 
meanwhile refuse to open our hearts and our 
purses to relieve the sufferers of our own 
household. In the former work, shall we val- 
ue no labor, nor peril, nor expense ; while in 
the latter, fear and avarice dry up the fountains, 
or check the current of our charities ? Shall 
we urge the ministers of Jesus abroad, in the 
face of toils and hazards of all sorts, and equip 
them with thirty thousand a year, (which we 
heartily approve,) and then refuse one-tenth of 
that sum to bring moral relief to thousands of 
strangers, who lie in our bosoms, so close to us 
that we may feel the very beatings of their 
hearts ? It is a fact, brethren, that a tithe of 
the funds contributed for the salvation of eighty 
thousand Indians abroad, will sustain this mes- 
senger of Gospel tidings, among eighty thous- 
and persons who stand at our thresholds, and 
daily commune with us and with our children. 

" We rejoice to see scores of missionaries 
sent to Oregon, and to Liberia, and to South 
America. We would rejoice to see scores 
started, this year, to China, to Palestine, and 
to ten other places which we might name, and 
4 thirty thousand dollars ' demanded for each of 
them, till a million were called for in the name 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 73 

of the bleeding Lamb. And then we should 
not fear but that the holy sympathies awakened 
by this call, would be all-sufficient to add, if 
need were, ten thousand dollars more, to purify 
our own dwellings, and to preserve from dete- 
rioration and death, the energies of our own 
Church and country. For how could those 
charities which would flow abroad so freely 
and liberally, become stinted and scanty when 
needed at home, 

"Some have dreaded, to be sure, lest this 
home effort should so absorb the sympathies 
and resources of the Church, as to leave little 
for missions abroad. But how greatly they 
erred. While two thousand dollars were being 
contributed last year, for the ' Christian Apolo- 
gist,' fears were excited in many minds, lest 
the general contributions of the Ohio confer- 
ence should fall short of former precedents 
Was this the result ? The Lord, who loveth a 
cheerful giver, was with his people, and for 
heathens abroad so moved their hearts, (which 
had been overflowing with sympathy for the 
Germans, till charity had become vehement 
and needed vent,) that they laid eleven thous- 
and dollars upon the altar, an offering of a 
sweet smelling savor. 

" The circumstances of each case are such, 
that if we labor and contribute for foreigners, 
much more should we feel bound to do it for 
denizens, and for such as will soon be fellow 
citizens. Self-preservation, which is the ' first 
law of nature ,' as well as charity, which is the 
7 



74 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

first law of grace, binds us to the latter. If 
crude and contaminating elements are perpetu- 
ally intermixing with the proper constituents 
of the Church and the state, and borrow no 
refinement nor purity from the intimate contact, 
they will gradually impart their nature to the 
bodies civil and ecclesiastical. And it is peri- 
lous on our part to suffer such a process. What 
will follow in due time ? The very fountains 
which refreshed the distant regions of Africa, 
and South America, and Oregon, will them- 
selves at length become corrupt; and if they 
flow at all, will send forth to the nations, not 
healing, but poisonous waters. 

" And mark this interesting fact : Immigration 
from Europe, and especially from Germany, 
ceases not, but increases constantly. Floods 
of life, and mind, and moral energy, are setting 
in upon us. A paragraph from a religious pa- 
per just fell under our observation, which, like 
many similar notices, admonishes us. It reads 
as follows : 

" ' German Emigrants. — A letter from Bre- 
men, dated September 26, to a house in St. 
Louis, says: "Fifteen vessels are up at this 
port for New Orleans, with about 2000 emi- 
grants, nearly ail of whom you may expect at 
St. Louis; the majority of them are respecta- 
ble and wealthy." ' 

"This fleet of vessels, then, bears to our 
shores more persons than constitute some of 
the tribes to which we furnish missions at the 
expense of thousands. Thus, while our In- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 75 

dian population is diminishing, and perishing 
by tribes, our immigrants are multiplying ra- 
pidly. With those, the tide ebbs — with these, 
it flows. Those are in the autumn of their 
national existence, seared and fast fading away ; 
these, blooming and aspiring like vernal plants, 
come among us to renew their youth, and put 
forth new-born energies in a land which effec- 
tually solicits the avarice, ambition, and all the 
earthly tempers of their hearts, by unfolding 
to them the prospect of acquisition and indul- 
gence." 

" Now while we occupy the field which is 
every year diminishing, shall we neglect that 
which is so rapidly enlarging ? Shall we em- 
ploy our energies to sow the seed of life on 
soils, which time is wasting and threatens to 
devour, yet refuse to cultivate a region which, 
by the current of years, gains constant accre- 
tions? Look forward half a century. Then 
the descendants of the red man will be like the 
leaves of the forest, when winter has finished 
the desolations of autumn, and the savage eye 
beholds no foliage, and the savage foot presses 
upon the snows. The works of the Church 
will indeed remain ; for if not on earth, yet in 
heaven some of these sons of the wilderness 
will be jewels in the diadem of Jesus. But 
we can scarcely expect, judging from the past 
and the present, that the Indians in successive 
generations are to form a part of the militant 
Church. Not so with the Germans. Their 
conversion may be desired not only for them- 



76 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

selves, but for Zion's sake in all climes and 
ages. There is strength in German character 
which must inevitably give it influence. Their 
mental aptitudes — their habits of secular dili- 
gence and carefulness, should enlist concern, 
as well as partial admiration. In their moral 
and religious states, even where the influence 
of early culture has been sinister, there is power, 
if nothing more — there is virtue in the proper, 
if not in a moral sense. Doubtless they will 
hereafter bear much sway in constituting the 
authorities which control this land — in molding 
the nation's mind — in fashioning its morals — 
and in making up the sum total of its weal or 
its woe. Let them become a leaven of malice, 
and unless saved by Omnipotence, the Church 
and nation are undone. Let them become a 
leaven of holiness, then liberty, and science, 
and heaven-born religion, may concert their 
holy and everlasting jubilee. Germany is 
sparing us more elements of moral good or 
evil, than any other nation of any continent can 
furnish us, whether it be for peace or war. 
What shall we render for this kindness ? Let 
us receive her gifts ; but let us make them, by 
reflex agency, subserve her own moral and 
spiritual regeneration. This we hope to do. 
This, with God's aid, we are now preparing to 
accomplish. 

" It may be queried, if for the Germans there 
can be any hope? It may be judged, that, 
like Chorazin and the cities of Gennesaret, a 
' woe ' has irrevocably gone out against them* 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 77 

We have other demonstrations. They are not 
reprobates, either from inveterate moral obdu- 
racy, or from judicial blindness and necessity. 
In their habits of thought and sentiment they 
are proven not to be invincible to the power of 
Gospel truth. Indeed, their condition is in 
some respects peculiarly encouraging. Those 
of the present generation may almost be con- 
sidered as not personally derelict from piety 
and orthodoxy. They rather inherit the liber- 
alism with which they are contaminated. We 
may assume in their favor more than this. 
Neither they nor their ancestors, either Catho- 
lic or Protestant, have ever enjoyed the oppor- 
tunity to test the power of religion as inculca- 
ted by Wesley, and by his sons in the Gospel. 
This should not be forgotten. All that which 
has been done for England and the United 
States, and which has resulted in such mag- 
nificent moral revolutions as to provoke the re- 
luctant admiration of a Southey, and of thous- 
ands like him, is yet to be wrought for neglect- 
ed Germany. 

" There is this exception. For a few months 
past, a solitary German missionary, anointed 
for the office as unexpectedly as David was 
elected to the throne, has preached Jesus to the 
Germans. Since the last sitting 1 of the Ohio 
conference, another has joined him. What 
are the fruits ? To go no farther, we have a 
class of some thirty excellent members in Cin- 
cinnati, another of thirty-five members in Pitts- 
burg, another of eighteen or more in Wheeling, 



78 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

with prospects bright as unclouded sunrise still 
opening upon us. No mission of our Church 
can, in equal circumstances, display so rich a 
harvest. Compare it with any of our foreign 
missions, and you will perceive and acknowl- 
edge this to be the fact. One short visit of 
brother N. to Pittsburg, has resulted in an ad- 
dition to the Church of twenty-five souls. An 
exhorter, who started from this city a few days 
since, reached Wheeling in his travels ; and be- 
ginning to speak the word of life with no san- 
guine expectations, the power of God came 
down, and blessed, indeed, were the conse- 
quences. 

" But another thing is needed to extend the 
sphere, and multiply the fruits of these prolific 
Gospel labors. It is the support and circula- 
tion of our German periodical. 

"The 'Apologist' is abroad. The 'New 
Year' gave it birth, and ere this, it has proba- 
bly been cast a foundling at your thresholds. 
We beseech you, brethren, receive it — nurse 
it to maturity, that it may be employed, tbrough 
a long and useful life, as an instrument of mer- 
cy to open the eyes of the blind, and proclaim 
liberty to a multitude of captives. Brethren, 
can we appeal in vain for your aid to consum- 
mate an enterprise so noble, so hopeful, so ev- 
ery way desirable ? You ask, ' What is to be 
done?' Much — very much. You must in 
part contribute the very element to sustain the 
being which you gave it. By your beneficence 
it began to breathe, and move, and speak. By 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 79 

your paternal watchfulness it must be cherish- 
ed in its infancy, till it can, without your fos- 
tering, look to its own concerns. You have 
done a noble part, and so much the greater pity 
that all your toil should go for nought — that 
your works should begin to go to ruin while 
not yet finished. We deprecate the shame. 
You have laid out thousands to construct a 
strong foundation, which now stands to be 
gazed on by the world. Desert not the enter- 
prise. Add a few hundreds more. Half a 
thousand will complete the sum originally con- 
templated, without which our plans are all de- 
ranged, and our charities all periled. Thus do 
we find fresh motives, arising from circum- 
stances, to rouse our energies in this good work. 
il We appeal to you, then, for five or six hun- 
dred dollars, to make up the three thousand. 
Furthermore, we want every possible effort to 
be made, by every minister and every member, 
to obtain subscribers for the Apologist. The 
crisis has come at last. We must now briefly 
sacrifice all, or save all by a little added labor 
and benevolence. Shall we not, then, bestir 
ourselves ? To think of a retreat from ground 
so nobly won, so advantageous to the occu- 
pants, so fortified and strengthened by past 
diligence, gives us the heart-ache. We would 
rather build the rising walls with the sword (of 
the Spirit) in one hand, and the trowel in the 
other. Rather than fail, we are resolved to 
make some sacrifices. Help us, we entreat 
you, in this labor of love and mercy. Do not 



80 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

fear that regard for this, will divert the sympa- 
thies of Zion from other enterprises. It is meet 
that our charities should be varied — that they 
should flow in many channels, and be dispersed 
abroad. Like the student of nature who would 
frequent her whole immensity — who searches 
ocean, earth, and heaven, converting the whole 
creation into a volume of rich instruction, not 
content until he has scanned each page and line ; 
so the Christian philanthropist, with busy, pry- 
ing charity, should fix his eye, and fasten his 
warm affections on every interest of humanity, 
of every age and clime — of time and of eter- 
nity. The benevolence of a Christian cannot, 
like that of Jesus, glow and spread as do the 
splendors of the sun ; still it may be far-reach- 
ing and diversified. Christian charity ema- 
nates from God ; and to the streams, as to the 
Fountain, belongs appropriate perfection. To 
this pertains infinity, whose incident is, un- 
ceasing, boundless affluence ; to that, the grace 
of limited, but various beneficence. This is 
a sun of blazing fires, lighting up immensity, 
and binding worlds and systems in secure and 
blissful concord ; that, is His mellowed beams, 
reflecting rainbow charms, v^hose grace depends 
on no single hue, but on a rich variety of shades, 
and on the perfect harmony with which the 
colors blend. L. L. Hamline, 

Wm. H. Raper. 
" Cincinnati, Jan. 4, 1839." 
Having taken up much more space than was 
at first intended, in giving an account of the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 81 

commencement and progress of the Christian 
Apologist, we will proceed in regular order to 
notice the German missions, as they were es- 
tablished from time to time, in the different 
conferences. 



CHAPTER VII. 
REV. PETER SCHMTJCKER's FIRST AP- 
POINTMENT TO CINCINNATI, 1838* 
AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 
MISSION AT PITTSBURG. 

In the autumn of 1838, brother Schmucker, 
formerly a successful and experienced minister 
in the Lutheran Church, was appointed mis- 
sionary to Cincinnati, and brother Nast editor 
of the Christian Apologist. Brother Schmuck- 
er labored there two years, with great success. 
At the close of the first year, he reported eighty 
members in society; and at the close of the 
second, one hundred ; and, but for the removal 
of many of the members, the number would 
have been considerably greater. 

During the fall, brother Nast, by the invita- 
tion of some of the stationed preachers, visited 
Pittsburg, and after preaching to the Germans 
several weeks, formed a society of thirty mem- 
bers. The following report, published in the 
Pittsburg Conference Journal, "gives an inter- 
esting account," says the editor of the Western 



82 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Christian Advocate, " of the fruits of his visit 
to Pittsburg." 

^Pittsburg, Oct. 23, 1838. 
"Brother Hunter, — I cannot leave this 
city without addressing, through your paper, a 
few lines to my beloved English brethren. I 
had been invited by your worthy preachers to 
pay a missionary visit to my German country- 
men in this city. I followed the Macedonian 
cry, and would most devoutly acknowledge the 
goodness of Almighty God, whose providence 
brought me here, and whose gracious help was 
afforded, to effect what my brethren in the min- 
istry entreated the Lord so effectually for, even 
to feed the little flock of German sheep who 
sought shelter in your fold during the last sum- 
mer. I found them about ten in number, most- 
ly males — husbands without their wives. Their 
number has increased to thirty-five, so that we 
could form two classes. Several of the wives 
have been baptized into one spirit with their 
husbands ; about fifteen in all, have experienced 
religion during my stay. I could not preach 
to large congregations, as we had no means 
of making the appointment generally known 
among the German public. But as many as 
came to hear the word of life, were made to 
feel that God was present. Several told me 
they would join as soon as the society would 
get a regular preacher. The people are truly 
craving the sincere milk of the Gospel ; no 
where have I found it so easy to preach. I la- 
bored a whole year at Cincinnati for twenty- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 83 

four members. I trust the work will go on, 
and prove like the leaven which a woman took 
and mixed with three measures of meal. Sev- 
eral of the members immediately entered upon 
the right spirit of the work — they went home, 
not only to pray for themselves, but to pray 
with and for their friends and neighbors. To 
give you some instances — I staid all night with 
a family, where the husband was a member, 
but had not a clear witness of his acceptance 
with God. The Lord met us at the family 
altar in the morning. The brother went then 
to his work, but returned in a short time, sigh- 
ing and heavy laden — he said he could not 
work — he wanted to pray more. We called in 
his wife. The Lord visited us in power ; and 
whilst he was blessed, his wife began to cry 
for mercy, and has also, since that time, expe- 
rienced religion. I visited another family, of 
which only the father was a member of the 
German class. He was seeking religion. I 
prayed with the family : the mother became 
first affected, then her son, then her son-in-law, 
then his wife, and even a Roman Catholic girl, 
who lived in the family, fell under conviction. 
The whole family joined the Church, and some 
experienced religion. The son-in-law told us, 
in love feast, that he never before had offered 
up one prayer, or felt uneasy concerning his 
future state ; he promises to become as stout a 
champion in the good cause, as he was reckless 
before. I cannot describe the affecting scenes 
which I witnessed. But let me relate one 



84 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

more. A brother who was very zealous, al- 
though opposed by his wife, had a meeting 
appointed in his house. I preached on the third 
and fourth verses of the fifth chapter of Matthew, 
and opened the door of the Church. His wife 
was the first that literally rushed forward, seiz- 
ed my hand, confessed herself a great sinner, 
and told the congregation, with a flood of tears, 
how wickedly she had opposed her husband, 
and how patiently he took it: he would not 
cease to pray for her. She experienced relig- 
ion the following morning, and will, no doubt, 
be a helpmate to her precious husband. They 
are an excellent couple, living by faith in the 
Son of God, who has given himself for them. 
In love feast, she sat in the middle of the con- 
gregation, and when she rose to give her testi- 
mony, she could not content herself to stay 
where she was, but came out, walked up the 
aisle to the pulpit, and then turning and facing 
the congregation, she told, in language that 
would have melted the hardest heart, what the 
Lord Jesus had done for her poor soul. 

" My dear brethren, the Germans whilst un- 
converted, turn an entirely deaf ear to religion, 
but when they hear the voice of the Son of 
God, and find him to be the good Shepherd, 
they become, generally, dead to the world, 
and make religion their all-absorbing theme. 
Thanks be to the good Lord, the friend of sin- 
ners, that he has put it in the hearts of the 
Pittsburg Methodists to feel for their German 
brethren, and to provide a missionary for them. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 85 

Divine Providence, which is ever waiting to 
prosper every good desire and resolution, has 
met you in this matter, and provided a man, to 
whose instrumentality some of them ascribe 
their awakening. Go on, my dear brethren — 
be not weary in cultivating every inch of Im- 
manuel's ground, and be sure that the German 
population will yield a crop that will make you 
rejoice through all eternity. 

"I would also tender my sincere thanks to 
the brethren for their kindness, and the interest 
they manifested in behalf of our great and good 
enterprise — I mean the Apologist. Had I 
time, I would say much upon this subject. 
Please take a copy of this paper, if you wish 
to communicate the blessings of Methodism to 
our German fellow citizens, and brethren in the 
Lord ! They will, in all probability, pay you 
the money at the end of the year, and perhaps, 
thank you in heaven for it. 

" Five years ago, I left Pittsburg with noth- 
ing but blackness and darkness before me — I 
went away weeping, and said, on the point of 
despair, Though he slay me, yet will I trust 
in him. Blessed be God, the Son of right- 
eousness rose upon my hopeless soul with 
healing in his wings. I returned to preach 
that Jesus will not pass by any, else he would 
have passed by me. Truly, those that go 
weeping, bearing precious seed, shall surely 
return with joy, bringing their sheaves with 
them. The Lord keep us faithful to the end ! 
" Youis, in the Gospel, Wm. Nast." 
8 



86 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Brother Nast's duties, as editor, calling him 
to Cincinnati, he soon had to leave the little 
flock ; and the Eev. J. M. Hartman, who was 
a fruit of the Wesleyan mission, in Germany, 
was appointed to take charge of them. He 
labored here for two years. At the close of 
the first year, he reported one hundred mem- 
bers. There was, however, a falling off, in 
the second year, which was caused, partly, by 
a man of strange and enthusiastic character, 
who succeeded in getting some of the members 
to follow him. In this place, our brethren 
have labored under great embarrassments, for 
want of a suitable house of worship ; and the 
prospects of this mission have been rather dis- 
couraging for the last few years. The arrival 
of Rev. C. Doering, however, during the past 
year, has been beneficial. His labors have 
been blessed ; and he now reports that the 
prospects are more encouraging. 

At the close of the year 1838, we had, as 
the reader will have observed, two missions, 
supplied with preachers. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

ESTABLISHMENT OF GERMAN MISSIONS 

IN 1839 COMMENCEMENT OF THE 

GERMAN MISSION AT WHEELING. 

In January, of this year, John Swahlen, who 
was converted during the first year of brother 
Nast's labors in Cincinnati, was sent out, as an 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 87 

exhorter, and also as an obtainer of subscribers 
for the Christian Apologist. When he arrived 
at Wheeling, he found the Germans hungry for 
the bread of life, and immediately commenced 
exhorting them to seek the Lord. The word 
took effect at once, and soon a society of twen- 
ty-six members was formed. The following 
extract from a letter to brother Nast, shows 
how he commenced his labors : 

" Wheeling, Dec. 26, 1838. 
"Dear Brother, — Last Saturday evening 
I arrived here, and was kindly received by the 
brethren, both German and English. An ap- 
pointment was immediately given out for Sab- 
bath afternoon and evening. For Monday I 
appointed a class meeting, and invited all that 
were in earnest to save their souls. After class 
meeting, I read the General Rules, and gave an 
invitation to join the Church. Twelve came 
forward, and gave me their hands. Christmas 
morning, at six o'clock, I held a prayer meet- 
ing — at ten and three o'clock, I tried to exhort 
them from the word of God. The Lord was 
with me — four joined, and a woman cried 
aloud for mercy. In the afternoon, God work- 
ed again to my astonishment. Several were 
convicted, and cried aloud. Some professors 
were stirred up to seek for more of the love of 
God. One was brought into the liberty of the 
children of God. Pray for us. It is the work 
of the Lord. The brethren think I should stay 
here till the river opens. I do not feel as if 
I could do any thing myself; yet I believe that 



88 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

God makes use of instruments. Last night we 
again had meeting, and three were converted. 
To-morrow morning, at six o'clock, we will 
have prayer meeting. Remember us earnestly 
at a throne of grace. 

" Your sincere brother in Christ, 

"John Swahlen." 

Brother Swahlen returned to Cincinnati, re- 
ported his success, was licensed to preach, and 
sent back to Wheeling as a missionary. After 
laboring eighteen months, he reported eighty- 
three members in society, and the erection of 
a new meeting-house, 40 feet by 40, and two 
stories high. This was the first German Meth- 
odist Episcopal church ever built on earth. 
This mission has been, in a good degree, pros- 
perous ever since its commencement, and has 
undoubtedly been the means of much good to 
the German population of that place. It now 
numbers one hundred and two members. 

Monroe Mission. — This mission was es- 
tablished by the Pittsburg conference, in the 
year 1839. After a great many souls were 
awakened and converted to God, through 
the instrumentality of brother Swahlen, and 
brother Riemenschneider, from Wheeling, then 
a local preacher, Rev. C. C. Best, of the Erie 
conference, an American German, was appoint- 
ed to take charge of it ; with an aged brother, 
by the name of Tuescher, a local preacher, as 
his assistant. This mission then embraced 
what is now called Marietta mission ; and its 
territory was seventy miles in length, and forty 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 89 

in breadth, and was one of the roughest parts 
of the state of Ohio. At the close of the first 
year the missionary reported, in society, one 
hundred and sixty-five members, of whom one 
hundred and fifteen fell the next year into the 
Marietta mission. In July, 1840, brother J. 
Dancker, formerly a Lutheran preacher, was 
appointed to the Monroe mission, properly so 
called. He labored there two years with great 
success, receiving one hundred and three mem- 
bers into the society, in spite of the violent op- 
position and persecution of a Lutheran preach- 
er, who spread among his people many false- 
hoods concerning the Methodists. Once he 
abused brother Dancker from the pulpit in 
such a manner, that his elder became curious 
to see and hear so bad a man. He accordingly 
went to the house where brother Dancker was 
preaching, and stood outside to hear the ser- 
mon ; the result of which was, the conviction 
and conversion of himself and his eldest son. 
Many such instances might be related. Broth- 
er Dancker mentions, also, in his last report 
from that mission, an interesting circumstance, 
in the following words : " There was one ap- 
pointment on my circuit, where I had preached 
for two years every four weeks ; but I saw no 
fruit at all of my labor. I appointed a two 
days' meeting, to bid them farewell. Sermons, 
exhortations and prayers followed each other, 
but all seemed in vain. On Sabbath evening I 
gave them the last invitation to the mourners' 
bench, but none came. With a deep sigh, I 



90 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

committed the souls of the people to God, and 
spoke the benediction. After the benediction, 
we sang a few verses in conclusion; during 
which, five persons fell on their knees, and 
cried for mercy : four of them were converted 
the same evening. We then held on, and the 
work of God spread in this neighborhood." 
In July, 1842, brother H. Bahrenburg, a spir- 
itual son of brother Dancker, was appointed to 
this flourishing mission. He also labored with 
success, and the society numbers now two hun- 
dred members. They have built a large house 
of worship. 

German Mission within the bounds of Cin- 
cinnati and Lebanon district, Ohio confer- 
ence. — This mission was established in 1839, 
and A. Miller was appointed missionary. Soon 
after he arrived, he received a letter from Bishop 
Soule, who has ever taken a deep interest in 
these missions, in which he definitely pointed 
out his field of labor. The following are the 
closing remarks of the Bishop's letter: "It is 
very desirable that you should obtain a knowl- 
edge of any German settlements in the vicinity 
of the above named places, and visit them as 
time and opportunity will permit; and while 
we would not neglect the American Germans, 
foreigners should be considered as having a 
paramount claim to our missionary labors. In 
all your missionary visitations, you will take a 
deep interest in obtaining patronage for the 
6 Apologist,' and in circulating the German 
hymn book, and such tracts as are published in 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 91 

the German language. And may the grace of 
our Lord Jesus Christ abide with you always, 
and through your instrumentality, abound to 
the salvation of the people you are appointed 
to serve." 

During this year, the missionary visited the 
Scioto country, and other points ; and at the 
ensuing conference, reported favorably to the 
establishment of several new missions. His 
report is as follows : 

"Zanesville, O., October 1, 1840. 

"Dear Brethren, — In performing my du- 
ties as your missionary for the past year, I have 
visited the different German settlements within 
the bounds of the Cincinnati and Lebanon dis- 
tricts ; and have also, according to the instruc- 
tions of Bishop Soule, attended all the quarterly 
meetings of the mission in Cincinnati ; besides 
visiting, in the course of the year, the Germans 
in different parts of Ohio, distributing religious 
tracts, &c, and preaching to them where con- 
gregations could be collected. The appoint- 
ment of a missionary to this field was an ex- 
periment; and the efforts of your missionary 
have not been so generally successful as may 
have been anticipated by the friends of mis- 
sions; yet it is a matter of rejoicing, that the 
efforts made, by the blessing of God, have not 
been altogether unsuccessful. Many, it is be- 
lieved, have been brought to serious reflection, 
while a few have been happily converted to 
God, and are now living stones in the spiritual 
temple. There is also good reason to hope 



UZ ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

that the tracts, our Articles of Faith, and the 
General Rules of our Discipline, which have 
been distributed, will be as seed sown on good 
ground. The Christian Apologist has also 
been extensively distributed, and in this way 
many who heretofore have been ignorant of our 
doctrines and usages, have been enlightened 
and instructed; and whether they all receive 
the truth, and practice upon it, or not, we have 
the satisfaction of knowing that we have en- 
deavored to place it within their reach. 

" It was also expected of your missionary that 
he should make observations, and report in re- 
ference to the prospect of our future operations 
among the Germans in those regions. So far 
as observation and inquiry have been made, we 
see no reason for discouragement. However, 
we cannot expect that all the Germans to whom 
we preach will immediately embrace our doc- 
trine, and conform to our usages. They all 
have been educated in their own country to be- 
lieve in some system or form of religion, and 
will cleave, with a tenacity peculiar to them- 
selves, to their respective creeds ; and nothing 
but the force of truth, under the influence of 
the Divine Spirit, will induce them to change 
their opinions, and to embrace the doctrine of 
a present salvation by faith, and the witness of 
the Spirit, as taught by our Church. The ques- 
tion, however, whether something can be done 
toward the conversion of Germans who have 
immigrated to this country, is no longer pro- 
blematical; the hundreds that have already 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 93 

been converted in different parts, through the 
labors of our missionaries, give full proof that 
much may be done in this interesting field. 
But here, as in all our operations, a proper 
method should be observed. And your mis- 
sionary would beg leave to suggest, with defer- 
ence and submission, the impracticability of 
assigning to any one man as extensive a field 
of labor as that which he occupied in the past 
year, especially where the greater part of the 
Germans are native Americans, and can under- 
stand the English language. We believe that 
the foreigners who have left the homes of their 
youth, and have come to seek a permanent resi- 
dence in our far-famed land of liberty, should 
be the especial object of our sympathy: to this 
class our attention should be first directed. 
Among them our efforts, so far, have been most 
successful ; and in reference to them we may 
say truly, ' The harvest is great.' We find 
this industrious class of our population by 
thousands in the west: not only in the popu- 
lous cities, but in the fertile valleys — on the 
sterile hills, and through the dreary marshes ; 
all struggling hard for the things of this life. 
It is estimated that their number in the United 
States is already 1,500,000, and that their an- 
nual increase, by immigration, is from thirty to 
forty thousand. Many of them are like sheep 
without a shepherd ; their condition demands 
the sympathy, prayers, and benevolent exer- 
tions of a Christian community. And is it not 
high time that the most efficient means should 



94 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

be in progress for their moral elevation and 
spiritual improvement? One of the strongest 
bonds that holds the different parts of our coun- 
try together, is the religion of the Gospel ; and 
one of the brightest ornaments of our Church 
is her zeal in spreading the Gospel among the 
poor and the destitute. And your missionary, 
after a survey of the interesting field spread 
before us, cannot too strongly recommend to 
this conference the importance of occupying 
this field, as far as our means will admit of our 
doing so. We are aware that various objec- 
tions will present themselves to any extended 
exertions in behalf of the Germans. The most 
important of all is, the scarcity of funds to 
support missionaries among them until they 
are able to support the Gospel among them- 
selves. But we believe that the benevolence 
and zeal of the Church will cause this objec- 
tion to vanish like the morning cloud, and like 
the early dew ; and that if this subject were pro- 
perly brought before our friends, and a call was 
made for the support of the Gospel among these 
strangers that have come among us, there would 
be many willing hearts and liberal hands to aid 
in this important work. 

" In Cincinnati the work is going on glorious- 
ly, and will not be abandoned. In German- 
town we have a small society, (eight in num- 
ber, now attached to one of the English classes, 
led by a man who speaks both languages,) 
waiting with anxiety to know if they shall have 
a preacher the ensuing year. At Dayton, and 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS, 95 

its vicinity, we believe there is an important 
opening. At Portsmouth, and along the mouth 
of the Scioto River, including Piketon and 
West Union, a missionary might be profitably 
employed. Also, in Louisville, Ky., ' the field 
is ripe unto harvest,' and many wait with anx- 
iety to see the arrival of a missionary. Final- 
ly, the door is now opened before us, and the 
indications of Providence all appear favorable. 
It now remains for us, as a Church, to say 
whether this field shall be cultivated, until it 
shall be as ' the garden of the Lord ;' or wheth- 
er it shall remain a moral waste, and scores and 
hundreds be lost for ever, when we, with but 
small exertion, might be the means of their sal- 
vation. The good work has commenced among 
the Germans, and could our brethren, who have 
manifested an interest in their behalf, hear and 
understand the language of gratitude and praise 
that flows from their lips, in their class and 
love feast meetings, they would all say, so far 
as the instrumentality of the Church is con- 
cerned, the work shall go on. May it spread 
and deepen and widen, until thousands of the 
Germans shall have come to the knowledge of 
the truth ! is the devout prayer of your servant 
in the Gospel of Christ, 

"Adam Miller." 
In accordance with the suggestions in the 
above report, several new missions were estab- 
lished at this conference ; a German mission 
district was also formed, and Adam Miller 



96 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

was appointed superintendent of the German 
missions in the Ohio conference. 

German Missions in the State of Indiana. 
— In the spring of 1839, a society was formed 
in Lawrenceburg, principally by the labors of 
brother Nast, who frequently visited the place. 
During the ensuing summer, J. M. Hofer, one 
of the first converts of the Cincinnati mission, 
removed to Lawrenceburg, and acted in the ca- 
pacity of class-leader and exhorter, and a short 
time afterward was licensed to preach. In the 
fall of this year, an appropriation was made for 
the support of a mission within the bounds of 
the Indiana conference, and Rev. J. Kisling, an 
American German, and local preacher in the 
English Church, was appointed missionary, 
who traveled extensively through the south- 
eastern part of the state, but did not accomplish 
much in forming societies the first year. The 
second year, however, was more prosperous. 
Brother Kisling, having been re-appointed, 
formed a number of societies, and a regular 
circuit. 



CHAPTER IX. 

STATE OF THE GERMAN MISSIONS IN 

1840. 

We have already seen the work gradually 

spreading ; and it is cheering to reflect, that as 

the door was opened, a new supply of help was 

furnished by the Lord of the harvest. At the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 97 

latter part of this year, we had nine regular 
missionaries in the field, besides an editor of a 
religious paper. Brother Schmucker closed 
his two years' labor in Cincinnati, in the fall of 
this year. During his labors in this mission, 
he preached frequently in the market house, 
and did much in visiting the Germans from 
house to house, and distributing Bibles, Testa- 
ments and tracts, among the destitute. He 
also made a practice of visiting the steamboats 
at the river, distributing many tracts among the 
German boatmen. The touching incidents 
contained in the following articles, written by 
him for the Western Christian Advocate, show 
that his labors were not in vain. 

" Dear Brethren, — Will you be so kind 
as to let me speak a few words, through your 
columns, to the friends of religious tracts and 
tract societies. I have been engaged in the 
distribution of religious tracts for many years, 
and always looked upon this way of doing 
good as bread cast upon the water ; some I 
found in this life, and some I expect to find in 
heaven. I have distributed about one thousand 
or twelve hundred tracts in the city of Cincin- 
nati, on the streets, in houses, and on steam- 
boats. I have been refused by some — their 
reasons I do not wish to make public ; but they 
were polite refusals, such as need not cause ill 
feelings at all. By nearly all, the tracts were 
thankfully received, and I had interesting relig- 
ious conversation with many, such as, I think, 
we shall recollect, when we get home to our 
9 



98 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Father's house. On steamboats, too, I have 
met with most kind receptions, even by some 
of the boat captains. On one boat, the captain 
of which could speak the German language, 
nearly all the hands were Germans, and could 
read ; I gave them all tracts and religious peri- 
odicals. They took their hats and caps off, 
and thanked me, and asked me not to forget 
them ; but on their return from New Orleans 
to visit them again — and said they had not 
heard a sermon in their language in three 
years. They told me, without asking them, 
they were all Protestants. I told them, in the 
words of the poet, in the sailor's song, < My 
German friends, " You are far from God, and 
far from home;" but you have souls, try to 
save them.' When I mentioned home, a young 
man went away in tears. Now, friends of Je- 
sus, what shall we do ? Ought we not to put 
Bibles and tracts in their hands, to direct them 
in the way, to comfort them in their sickness 
and affliction ? Can we love Jesus, and not 
love poor souls bought by his blood ? No mat- 
ter how vile, miserable, wretched and degraded 
sin may have made them, they have blood- 
bought souls ; and this consideration alone, is 
enough to make us concerned for them, and by 
all means in our power, endeavor to save them 
from their sins, and the awful consequences of 
sin. But some will say, ' If we put Bibles 
and tracts in their hands, they will not read 
them — perhaps throw them away.' This is 
taking a discouraging view of the case. Some 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 99 

will not read them, but others will, which may- 
be the means of their conversion to God, as in 
the following instance: 

" Some years ago, when traveling on one of 
the highways to the west, I met a number of 
German families, and gave each a religious 
tract, that would receive it ; but, to my aston- 
ishment, when looking back, I saw some of 
them throw them aw r ay. Five or six years 
afterward, I happened to be in a prayer meet- 
ing, which was led by a young German ; after 
the meeting was over, he came to me, and said, 
6 Brother, I know your face, but don't know 
your name. Are you not the man that met a 
number of Germans on their way to the west, 
near Cumberland, and gave each one a tract ? 
Now, I bless God that I ever saw you, and 
that you gave me a tract ; for I was taken sick, 
and in my sickness had nothing to read but 
that tract you gave me, which I read again and 
again. God made it the means of my conver- 
sion ; and, glory to God ! I now have a hope 
that reaches beyond the grave.' Friends of 
Bible and tract societies, I think our success, at 
least in part, depends on ourselves. If our 
motive be pure, our hearts filled with the love 
of Jesus, we shall find an open door, and do 
some good. P. Schmucker." 

" Cincinnati, Ohio, June 1, 1840. 

"Dear Brethren, — My chief object in 
writing is, to say a few words on the subject 
of religious tracts. Some very remarkable in- 
stances have come under my notice, of their 



100 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

having been instrumental in the awakening and 
conversion of souls, A few cases I wish to 
relate, for the encouragement of the Tract So- 
ciety, and all friends of tracts ; but especially 
of those that are engaged in their distribution. 

" Some years ago, I called at a public house 
in North Carolina, to stay over night. The 
landlord was a rich planter, and owned many 
slaves ; a gentleman in appearance, but a deist 
in principle. He asked me many questions ; 
but as I could not hold a controversy with him 
in the English language, I handed him a tract, 
1 Salvation by Grace.'' He read in it till I re- 
tired to bed, and was reading in the morning 
when I left him. He invited me to stay for 
breakfast, which I did, and would have nothing 
for his bill but the tract. Several years elapsed, 
when I called at the same house again, in com- 
pany with two other clergymen. The same 
gentleman came out, invited me into the house, 
then took me by the hand, led me into a sepa- 
rate apartment, showed me the tract, and, ac- 
companied with many tears, related his conver- 
sion to me, which he dated from the evening I 
gave him the tract. He was then a member 
of the Church. Next morning we prayed 
together, and parted to meet again in heaven. 

" Some years ago, I called at the house of a 
gentleman in Virginia, to get some refreshment. 
His son came into the room, and told me his 
father was very sick, and wanted to see me. I 
went into the room where he lay, and he said 
to me, ' I am very sick, and I want you to pray 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 101 

with me.' I told him I could not pray in En- 
glish very well. 6 Well,' said he, ' pray as 
well as you can.' I read the twenty-third 
Psalm, and sung a hymn from his common 
prayer-book, and then prayed for him. I then 
handed him a tract, I think, on < Death and 
Judgment. 7 While he was reading, I could 
see the tear gather in his eye. The lady came 
into the room, and told me I ought not to have 
given him the tract, as he was too weak. She 
left the room, I thought, dissatisfied. I com- 
mitted him to the Lord, and left him. A few 
years after, I called at a public house, in a vil- 
lage not far off, to stay all night ; and asked 
the landlady whether there was preaching, as 
the church was lighted up. She told me, 
4 No ; but we have a society meeting, and I 
should be glad of your company.' We went, 
and there I heard the same man relate his con- 
version. He said, 'A Dutch preacher gave 
me a tract, when lying on a bed of affliction, 
some years ago, which powerfully awakened 
me. I began to pray, and promised God if he 
would spare my life once more, I would serve 
him. He heard and answered my petition, 
and converted my poor sin-sick soul.' Here 
he gave vent to his feelings, and shouted glory 
to God ; and the Dutch preacher ran up to 
him and shook hands, in the midst of tears of 

" Brethren, I need not tell you why I have 
written the above. Our object is to save souls 
— we leave no means untried — different means 
9* 



102 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

may be applied under different circumstances. 
When we go out in the highways, lanes and 
hedges, or visit sinners in their houses, tracts 
may be distributed to great advantage. They 
should be accompanied with reproof, when ne- 
cessary — -prayer and exhortation, as the oppor- 
tunity may offer. They should be distributed 
with a sparing hand, thereby showing that we 
set value upon them ; and should one soul 
among a thousand, by those means, be rescued 
from destruction, we shall be well paid for our 
trouble. And now, thou great Shepherd and 
Bishop of souls, bless the Tract Society ; make 
each tract instrumental to the salvation of a 
soul ; bless each distributor with wisdom, faith 
and patience, to bear all reproach; suffer all 
contradiction meekly, and be faithful until 
death ! We expect to meet many around the 
dazzling throne of glory, in whose salvation 
we have been instrumental ; and with them and 
all the redeemed of the Lord, we will join in 
singing the praises of God and the Lamb for 
ever. 

" To the American Tract Society, I would 
beg leave to say, we have hundreds and thous- 
ands of Germans in this western valley. They 
have a claim on your charity. I have distribu- 
ted not less than thirty thousand pages of Ger- 
man tracts among them within eighteen months, 
and could have done much more, but for the 
want of means. 

" P. Schmucker, 

German Missionary" 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 103 

From the above, it will be seen that success 
often attends the efforts made to do good to the 
souls of our fellow men, though it may be un- 
known to us at the time. With regard to 
many instances, eternity alone will be able to 
tell the amount of good accomplished by the 
distribution of tracts and Bibles. We should 
not be " weary in well doing, for in due season 
we shall reap if we faint not." We would 
close these reflections with an expression of 
gratitude to the American Bible and Tract soci- 
eties, for their liberal donations, from time to 
time, to these missions. 

During this year, the old missions were gen- 
erally in a state of prosperity. To them were 
added the following new ones : Alleghany and 
Marietta, in the Pittsburg conference; Allen 
and Scioto, in the Ohio conference ; and Louis- 
ville, in the Kentucky conference ; respecting 
each of which, we will give a brief notice. 

Alleghany Mission, — The foundation of . 
this mission was laid by brother Hartman, 
while he was a missionary in Pittsburg, in 
1840. The Pittsburg conference, in the same 
year, made an appropriation for a missionary, 
and the Rev. J. Miller, an American German, 
was appointed to it. 

Marietta Mission was at first connected with 
the Monroe mission; but in 1840 it became a 
separate charge, and Rev. H. Koenecke, who 
was one of the fruits of the Wheeling mission, 
was appointed to take charge of it ; and at the 



104 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

close of the first year, he reported one hundred 
and seventy members. 

It is worthy of mentioning, that in the begin- 
ning of the year 1840, Rev. J. Dancker, who 
had charge of two Lutheran congregations in 
and near Marietta, joined us with forty-two 
members. The reason of his change was, that 
his elders, and the majority of his congrega- 
tion, were offended at his preaching so much 
like the Methodists. He staid with them as 
long as he could do them good ; but when they 
resolved to shut the doors of the Church against 
him, he told them that he must have full liber- 
ty to preach what the Lord had bid him — that 
he would now join the Methodists, and those 
that were of his mind, he hoped, would follow 
him. He accordingly left them, and forty-two 
members of the congregation went with him. 

Brother Koenecke was re-appointed, and a 
part of his work set off into a separate charge. 
Prosperity attended his labors, also, the second 
year. The old Methodist church was purchas- 
ed by the members, this year, for $800. There 
was a society in the vicinity of Marietta, con- 
nected with this mission, where they have 
also erected a new church. Brother Koenecke, 
in his second year, distributed among the desti- 
tute twenty Bibles, some Testaments, and tracts, 
and sold a considerable number of our hymn 
books, Disciplines, and Fletcher's Appeal. 
This, as well as all the other German missions, 
within the bounds of the Pittsburg conference, 
were, from the year 1839 to 1841, under the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 105 

superintendence of Rev. N. Callender, to whose 
judicious management and diligence much of 
their prosperity may be attributed. 

Allen Mission was established in 1840, and 
included a part of the territory embraced the 
previous year within the bounds of the Cincin- 
nati and Lebanon districts. The Rev. Engel- 
herdt Riemenschneider, who was one of the 
first converts during brother Nast's first visit to 
Pittsburg, was appointed to take the charge. 
This mission bears the name of a benevolent 
brother, who has for sometime contributed an- 
nually one hundred dollars for its support. It 
has been considered rather an unfruitful field ; 
yet still, a degree of success has attended the 
efforts that have been made, and, according to 
brother Kisling's last report, the prospects are 
more encouraging, and there have been, of late, 
some gracious revivals within its bounds. 

Scioto Mission, in its commencement, ex- 
tended from the mouth of the Scioto River up 
to Chillicothe, spreading in various directions, 
embracing several populous German settle- 
ments. 

The Rev. G. A. Breunig, a convert from 
Roman Catholicism, was appointed to this mis- 
sion in the autumn of 1840. At the close of 
his first year, he reported twenty-two members 
in society. He was re- appointed, and the mis- 
sion continued to prosper under his labors the 
second year. He reported many interesting 
facts, among which is the following: "A Ro- 
man Catholic and his wife, who appeared to 



106 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

be much taken up with the vanities of this 
world, came to hear me several times. The 
woman became serious, and seemed inclined 
to unite herself with our Church ; but her hus- 
band forbade her taking such a step, and threat- 
ened to leave her if she did. At our late pro- 
tracted meeting, however, he became powerful- 
ly awakened, and they both together sought 
and found the pardon of their sins, and joined 
the Church. After returning home from meet- 
ing, this woman and another young sister, from 
a deep feeling of aversion to all appearance of 
pride, took off their artificials and cast them 
into the fire." 

Brother Breunig also reported about this 
time, that he had visited a German settlement 
of about fifty families ; and after having preach- 
ed to them a few times, a great work broke 
out, and twenty-eight joined society. In one 
instance, at the commencement of his sermon, 
the people were so affected, and the cries for 
mercy so loud, that he was obliged to desist 
from preaching, and enter immediately into the 
work of a prayer meeting. The prospects 
here are good : many attend the meetings, and 
sometimes travel four or five miles over the 
hills and in the night, with their torches, to 
hear the word preached. In this field he dis- 
tributed three thousand pages of tracts, a num- 
ber of Bibles, Testaments, hymn books, Fletch- 
er's Appeal, and catechisms. 

Louisville Mission, Kentucky conference, 
was established in the autumn of 1840, and 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 107 

the Rev. P. Schmucker was appointed mission- 
ary. At the commencement, he had much op- 
position to contend with; but the Lord was 
with him, and soon a great revival of religion 
broke out among the Germans. A society was 
formed, which gradually increased until the 
close of the year, when he reported ninety- 
three members. The following letters show 
the state of this mission a few months after he 
commenced his labors : 

"Louisville, Ky., March 29, 1841. 
" Dear Brother Miller, — Your letter of 
December last was duly received, and should 
have been answered long ago ; but I concluded 
not to answer it until I saw your report of the 
Cincinnati mission. Since New Year, I have 
been sickly half the time ; but it was all in 
consequence of excessive labor. I am now 
well again, thanks be to God. I commenced 
my labor in Louisville in the streets : after a 
while I got the use of a little private school- 
house ; and now I have the use of the Presby- 
terian church. I have more hearers, on an 
average, than I ever had in Cincinnati. For 
four weeks past, we have been much disturbed 
by the German rabble, during which time the 
church has been stoned every night, excepting 
the last. I have now seventy-three probation- 
ers in society, all received in about two months. 
We receive from live to ten every Sabbath. 
Some have found the pearl of great price, and 
others are seeking day and night. Few days 
pass in which we have not to read, sing, and 



108 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

pray with seekers of religion, and sometimes 
from morning till night. Here are more awa- 
kened Germans than I ever saw in any one 
place. I preached at the Bethel Chapel yes- 
terday ; and after we left the chapel, two old 
men, with their wives, came to me on the street, 
asked me all about the German mission, and 
offered themselves for membership, with the 
penitential tear in their eyes. I told them to 
come to my meeting next Sabbath. 

This mission now embraces some who were 
Lutherans, German Reformed, and Romanists ; 
others, grog-sellers, and grog-drinkers ; and 
others, again, musicians, publicans, and sin- 
ners. We have both rich and poor, and high 
and low. Some are converted, and others un- 
converted. May the Lord bless and help us ! 
The first German Methodist sacramental, quar- 
terly, and love feast meeting ever held in Lou- 
isville, we expect, will be next Easter. We 
hope to see the King in the camp, and hear the 
shout of new-born souls. May God fulfill our 
hopes ! We have powerful enemies : a Ger- 
man press, a host of Romanists, several hun- 
dred grog-sellers, and two or three times as 
many grog-drinkers : all these are out in battle 
array against us, talking against Schmucker and 
the Methodists every Sabbath, printing against 
us every week, and slandering us, in short, at 
all times and places. But still, the arrows of 
the Lord have wounded many, and several 
have enlisted under the banner of Jesus. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 109 

Brothers A. and T. are with me, and send 
their love to you. 

" Yours in Christ, 

" Peter Schmucker." 
"Louisville, Xy., May 22, 1841. 
"Dear Brother Miller, — I received your 
lines, and Mrs. Schmucker also told me that 
she saw you. I hope this will find you and 
your family in health. I am well, excepting 
sometimes I preach, sing and pray too much, 
and then have to lay by a few days. The ark 
of the Lord is moving, and the missionary fire 
has reached B., twelve miles from this place. 
In the absence of the Lutheran preacher, some 
of his members came to hear us. They went 
home, and told what they had heard, seen, and 
felt; and commenced prayer meetings them- 
selves. Those among them that spoke against 
us, two months ago, are now for us, and want 
me to come and preach to them. May the 
Lord send them help ! The intolerable perse- 
cution we have here, doubtless prevents many 
from joining us, and will probably cause some 
of my young recruits to break the ranks. 
Some mechanics have lost their employment, 
and some renters, also, have had to move. I 
am frequently compelled to defend my doctrine 
on the streets. All the German priests and 
preachers in the city, have held forth against 

me, and Mr. is slandering me and the 

Methodists in his paper nearly every week ; 

but still the people come to hear, several going 

away convicted, and then coming back again 

10 



110 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

to seek salvation ; and, blessed be God, they 
find it too. 

"Yours in Christ, P. Schmucker." 

In the first of the above letters, the mission- 
ary expressed strong hopes, in reference to the 
first quarterly meeting for the mission; and 
the following interesting report shows that his 
hopes were not disappointed: 

"April 28, 1841. 

" Dear Brother, — The Lord in his great 
goodness has been with us in our labors, and 
the power of his glory has been made manifest 
amongst this people. It is now about six 
months since we unfurled our missionary ban- 
ner in this city, displaying to the poor benight- 
ed German the light of Gospel truth, and offer- 
ing, in the name of our blessed Master, free 
salvation to all who should enlist in the holy 
war. Thank God, the powers of darkness 
have been made to tremble, while the army 
of the aliens have suffered a signal defeat. 
Where, but a few months since, all was sterili- 
ty and unproductive waste, now the wilderness 
truly ' blossoms as the rose.' Where sin rioted 
in corrupt luxury, producing naught, save ruin 
and death, the pure stream of Gospel grace 
waters the soil, giving forth rich promise of 
salvation and eternal life. Ninety-four pre- 
cious, immortal souls, have been, through 
God's wonderful love, plucked, as it were, 
from the very pit of ruin, and placed within 
the blessed circle of hope's bright promise. 
Our Sabbath school, consisting of some sixty 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 11] 

scholars, with eight efficient teachers, is in a 
prosperous condition: with it is connected a 
small German and English library, well select- 
ed, and much read. But how shall we speak 
of our missionary collection? Language can 
scarcely convey a proper idea of the scene. 
Truly the days of old seemed to have returned, 
when Israel's daughters so freely gave forth 
their ornaments for the beautifying of the 
Lord's tabernacle. In addition to $46 87 £ in 
money, various articles of jewelry were brought 
into the treasury of God — the donors testifying 
both by word and deed, that since they had 
found, through grace, that priceless jewel of 
their souls, the love of God shed abroad in 
their hearts, they had no longer any use or de- 
sire for the tinsel-adorning of such outward 
show. From brother Messer were received 
three gold finger-rings, and from sister Messer 
three gold breast-pins. May those better and 
more lasting jewels, which now adorn them, 
hope and faith, grow brighter and brighter, un- 
til they shall commingle with eternally revealed 
glory! From brother Barth was received, in 
addition to a gold breast-pin and finger-ring, a 
splendid and valuable trombone,* (worth $25,) 
with a desire that it might be converted to a 
Gospel trumpet, so that through the medium 
with which sin so long had given forth its dis- 
cordant notes, the reverberating blast of free 

* The reader must not infer from this circumstance, that in- 
strumental music is in itself sinful. Connection, however, with 
a "band of music," often, almost invariably, leads to great and 
ruinous evils. 



112 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

salvation might be blown to the perishing hea- 
then. Truly the wrath of men shall praise 
God, and the powers of darkness be constrain- 
ed to acknowledge his glory. What may not 
the arm of true faith look for and expect under 
such bright and flattering circumstances ? When 
the favorite gathering-places of immorality and 
sin, the theatre and the ball-room, give their 
performers, and they their musical instruments, 
to the cause, may we not rejoice, indeed, that 
6 God is with us ? ' 

" Our sacramental meeting commenced on 
the 8th inst., and continued until the 15th, du- 
ring which time we had the assistance of broth- 
er Kisling, from Indiana, and brother Jacoby, 
from Cincinnati. The celebration of the holy 
eucharist took place on the Sabbath. The em- 
blems of the sacred remembrance of a crucified 
Savior were dispensed to about one hundred 
happy recipients. All felt the power of God, 
and many rejoiced in his love, while the spirit- 
ual presence of the great Head of the Church 
seemed to pervade the whole assembly. On 
Monday evening, we held our first love feast — 
the first German love feast ever held in this 
city. A pentecostal shower it proved to us all. 
While believers were made strong, unbelievers 
were convicted and converted to God. During 
the space of thirty years spent in the service 
of God, never have we looked upon such an 
outpouring of his Spirit among the Germans. 
May it still flow on, until throughout the land 
its blessed influence shall be felt, and all learn 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 113 

to know God, from the least to the greatest. 
Are we not encouraged to go on in the good 
work ? — but six months established, ^nd great 
things, indeed, God has done for us. * Won- 
derful are thy works, O Lord, and thy ways 
past finding out.' 

" For some time past, the house of the mis- 
sionary has been, emphatically, a * Bethel '— 
from morning till evening crowded with peni- 
tent souls, inquiring the way to heaven, where 
the song of praise and the fervent prayer have 
been continually going up to God. Before we 
close this letter, let us relate one incident more. 
Our church has been, for some months past, 
greatly annoyed, by wicked men casting stones 
upon it, and at us, during divine service. On 
one occasion, a young German knocked a win- 
dow in — was discovered, arrested, and brought 
before the court. Upon his giving sufficient 
bail, the judge permitted him to remain at 
large. During the course of our meeting, the 
power of God fell upon him, and while the 
tear of penitence glistened in his eye, in pres- 
ence of the whole congregation he confessed 
his fault, and implored the pardon of his crime. 
May God convert his soul ! 

" How glorious to behold the gray haired 
veterans in the ranks of rebellion, kneeling be- 
side the tender child, and both confessing the 
love of God to their souls ; the one blossoming 
for the tomb, roused upon the very verge of 
time ; the other just beginning to live, and both 
starting in an equal race for heaven and immor- 
10* 



114 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

tal glory. Glory to God in the highest. He 
permits us to be happy here — shall we not be 
happy there ? 

" Yours in the Lord, 

"B. T. Crouch, P. E. 

"P. Schmucker, German Miss ." 

The missionary's last report for this year, 
made to the Corresponding Secretary of the 
Missionary Society of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, will show the state of the mission 
at the close of the first year of its existence. 
The report is as follows : 

"Louisville, Ky., Aug. 23, 1841. 

" Dear Brother, — I beg leave to transmit 
to you my last report for this conference year. 
This mission was commenced one year ago. 
I labored from October to January 17, when I 
opened the Church door for the first time ; and 
since that time till now I have received on pro- 
bation one hundred and eleven, many of whom 
are happily converted to God. The mission is 
divided into five classes. We have had three 
sacramental and love feast meetings, all of which 
were attended with the awakening and convert- 
ing power of God. At those seasons of re- 
freshing from the presence of the Lord, we had 
the assistance of brothers Kisling, Hofer, and 
Jacoby. We have now in full membership, 
forty-five ; on probation, forty-eight ; laid aside 
for neglect of duty, ten ; removed, six ; and 
two died happy in the Lord. We have a Sab- 
bath school, consisting of the regular officers, 
twelve teachers, and about fifty scholars. We 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 115 

collected for this institution $26 75 ; and the 
Louisville Bible Society made a donation of 
three Bibles and forty-eight Testaments. The 
teachers are all happily converted to God, and 
some of the scholars also. We have formed a 
Tract Society, and have received of the Amer- 
ican Tract Society forty thousand pages of 
tracts, toward the payment of which we have 
collected $16 75. We have collected for the 
missionary treasury $60 ; and for superannua- 
ted preachers, widows, and orphans, $10. We 
would solicit conference to give us regular quar- 
terly meetings the coming year. Although we 
are Germans, we understand English well 
enough to transact the business with the pre- 
siding elder. 

" And no w a few words in conclusion . Skep- 
ticism, Neologianism, and Rationalism have 
made fearful inroads among the Germans in 
this, the western valley. Infidelity and disre- 
gard of the Bible, of the Sabbath, and of mor- 
ality, have full sway in many places. This 
state of things calls loudly for vigorous efforts 
of the Church, more especially as we have the 
promise of God, and daily experience to con- 
firm it, that our ' labor is not in vain in the 
Lord.' If we cast our eyes over this western 
valley, and behold the missionary efforts of our 
Church among the Germans, we are constrain- 
ed to say, Behold what the Lord has done for 
us ! 

" Yours in Christ, P. Schmucker, 
" German Missionary" 



116 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

By the above it will be seen, that those Ger- 
mans who had themselves partaken of the bles- 
sings of the Gospel, were ready and willing to 
support those institutions which had been made 
the means of conveying spiritual life and salva- 
tion to their souls. 

The following letter to the editor of the 
Western Christian Advocate, shows the happy 
result of our missionary efforts in Louisville : 
" Cincinnati, 0., December 7, 1841. 

" Mr. Editor, — On last Saturday and Sab- 
bath, I attended a quarterly meeting held for 
the German mission in the city of Louisville, 
Ky. ; and, with your permission, I will say a 
few things in reference to the success of the 
missionary, and the present prosperous state 
of the mission. 

" It is only a little over a year since brother 
Schmucker commenced his labors among the 
Germans in this place ; and, notwithstanding 
the strong opposition he has met, and the 
many prejudices with which he has had to con- 
tend, he has, by the blessing of God, been instru- 
mental in raising a society of upward of one 
hundred, which for piety and zeal will compare 
with any other of the same number in the 
bounds of my acquaintance, either German or 
English. Our love feast was peculiarly inter- 
esting ; and it was truly delightful to hear these 
new converts arise in quick succession, and 
give an account of their awakening and con- 
version. One man, with tearful eyes and a 
glad heart, said, he thanked God that the Chris- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 117 

tian Apologist had ever been circulated among 
the Germans in Louisville. He told us, that 
when he first received the Apologist, he com- 
menced reading, and was soon constrained to 
weep. His friends asked him, why he wept 
while reading a newspaper? To which he 
replied, that he could not help it. And this, 
he said, was the means of leading him to seek 
the salvation of his soul. Others told us, that 
almost as soon as they entered the room and 
heard the voice of the missionary, they were 
brought under deep conviction, and found no 
rest until they obtained peace with God. In- 
deed, I scarcely ever heard more rational ac- 
counts of deep conviction and powerful con- 
version, than at this quarterly meeting, from 
the aged father of three-score years, down to 
the child of five years old ; all uniting in the 
same testimony, and rejoicing together in the 
great truth, that Christ has power on earth to 
forgive sins. It has sometimes been said, that 
reports of revivals are wont to be exaggerated ; 
but no one who is acquainted with the condi- 
tion of the German mission at Louisville, will 
say, that the missionary has been exaggeratory 
in his reports. Much as I had previously 
heard, I was constrained to say on my arrival 
there, 'The half has not been told.' Our En- 
glish brethren in Louisville take a deep interest 
in this work, and talk strongly of assisting the 
Germans to build a church in the coming spring. 
This is much needed ; and we have no doubt 
but it will be accomplished in due time. Broth- 



118 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

er Schmucker will, of course, soon furnish his 
quarterly report, and give a detailed account of 
the mission. I will only say, in conclusion, 
no one, with such demonstrations of success, 
will ever be sorry that he has given to the sup- 
port of missions, unless his own heart should 
grow cold in the cause of Christ. May God 
increase our zeal, and give success to our efforts ! 
" Yours, affectionately, 

"Adam Miller." 



CHAPTER X. 

NEW MISSIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE 
YEAR 1841. 

The German missions established in 1841 
are as follows : Chester, in the Ohio confer- 
ence ; Maysville, in Kentucky ; St. Louis and 
Pinckney, in Missouri; Bellville, in Illinois; 
New York, in New York ; and the North Ohio 
conference mission. In order to follow a pro- 
per order in tracing the work of God among 
the Germans, we will briefly notice the com- 
mencement of each of the above named mis- 
sions. 

The Chester Mission was commenced by 
brother H. Koenecke, in 1841, while he was 
missionary at Marietta ; and at the ensuing Ohio 
conference, an appropriation was made for the 
support of a missionary, and brother J. Geyer, 
who had been converted under the labors of 
brother Koenecke, was put in charge of it. In 



I THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 119 

this mission, they have enjoyed a good degree 
of prosperity from the commencement. They 
have also built a new, commodious church. 
From the first, this mission has done a great 
deal toward supporting itself, and has received 
comparatively little pecuniary aid from the mis- 
sionary society. A number who belong to our 
Church within the bounds of this mission, were 
formerly Roman Catholics; but now rejoice in 
having had their eyes opened, and in having 
been brought from darkness to light, and from 
the power of superstition to the liberty of the 
Gospel. All the efforts of their former priest 
were unavailing to bring them back to the Ro- 
mish Church. They have also several Sab- 
bath schools in a prosperous condition. 

Maysville Mission was established in the 
fall of 1841, by the labors of brother Schmuck- 
er. During the session of the Kentucky con- 
ference, in Maysville, he preached every day 
to the Germans living in that place ; and the 
result was, the formation of a society. This 
encouraged him, and led him to promise them 
regular visits. Brother Schmucker's charge 
was then called the Louisville and Maysville 
German mission, as he had both under his care. 
Brother Bier, a young man who was one of the 
first converts of the Pittsburg mission, was ap- 
pointed to assist him, or rather, consented to 
do so, as he was then a local preacher and sup- 
ported himself. 

St. Louis Mission was commenced by the 
Rev. L. S. Jacoby, one of the fruits of the Cin- 



120 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

cinnati mission, in August, 1841. On his ar- 
rival at St. Louis, he found a great door opened 
before him, and forthwith commenced preach- 
ing in a rented meeting-house, also in the mar- 
ket-house, and, when the weather would permit 
of it, in the street. He also formed a Bible 
class, and a Sabbath school. He did not labor 
long without seeing the fruits of his efforts . 
Sinners were awakened, inquiring what they 
should do to be saved. The same effects that 
had been produced among the Germans in Cin- 
cinnati, Louisville, and many other places, were 
produced here also. Sinners were converted 
to God by scores, many of whom had boen 
brought up Roman Catholics. Brother Jacoby 
was re-appointed the second year; and this 
charge, under his labors and watchful care, has 
been one of the most flourishing of all our 
German missions. They have built a commo- 
dious brick meeting-house, and have a flourish- 
ing day school connected with the mission. 
Many interesting things might be said about 
this field of labor, but our limits do not allow 
us to enter into much detail. Suffice it to say, 
that many a destitute family has been supplied 
with the word of God; thousands of religious 
tracts have also been distributed, all of which 
will undoubtedly have an important influence 
on the German population of St. Louis The 
society is now in a prosperous condition, and 
promises to do much good. The same oppo- 
sition with which we have had to contend in 
other places, has also manifested itself here; 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 121 

but truth is mighty, and will prevail. The 
present number in society is one hundred and 
fourteen. 

Pinckney Mission, in Missouri conference, 
was established in the fall of 1841. The Rev. 
John Swahlen was transferred from the Pitts- 
burg conference, and appointed to take charge 
of it. It embraces some interesting German 
settlements. A degree of success has attended 
the labors of the missionary. Several classes 
have been formed, and in some places the con- 
gregations are uniformly large and attentive. 

Belleville German Mission, in Illinois con- 
ference. — This mission was established at the 
Illinois conference of 1841. The Rev. J. M. 
Hartman was transferred from the Ohio confer- 
ence, and appointed thereto a missionary. Dur- 
ing his first year, he preached three times each 
Sabbath, and four or five times each week. 
His circuit extended from two to three hundred 
miles, and he had more calls for German preach- 
ing than he could possibly supply. German 
ministers in Illinois are very scarce : the Ger- 
man population, however, is exceedingly large ; 
and if men and means could but be obtained, a 
great work might be accomplished. We sin- 
cerely hope the day is not far distant, when all 
the destitute German settlements in Illinois and 
Missouri will be fully supplied. 

New York German Mission. — The best 
account we can give of this mission, is in the 
language of the twenty-third Annual Report of 
the Missionary Society of the Methodist Epis- 

n 



122 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

copal Church, (1842,) which is as follows: 
"The German mission in the city of New 
York was decided upon at the late session of 
the conference, in 1841. It was commenced 
during the following summer, andEev. N. Cai- 
lender and Rev. C. H. Doering were transfer- 
red from the Pittsburg conference, and appoint- 
ed to the charge of it. In a short time, how- 
ever, brother Callender was removed to another 
field of labor, and the entire charge of this mis- 
sion devolved on brother Doering. The so- 
ciety commenced with eight German brethren 
and sisters, who zealously seconded the efforts 
of the missionary, and by their sympathies and 
prayers, encouraged his heart and strengthened 
his hands. Owing to various causes, the pros- 
pects at the commencement were rather dis- 
couraging ; but by degrees they have continued 
to brighten, and the united prayers of this little 
band have been graciously answered, and the 
labors of the missionaries crowned with suc- 
cess. There are now connected with this 
mission, seventy-two members; sixty-four of 
whom have been received on probation. The 
German attendants upon the ministry are con- 
stantly increasing; so much so, that the place 
they now occupy will soon become too strait 
for them. They are, therefore, under the ne- 
cessity of looking for a new and more conve- 
nient place of worship. A Board of Trustees 
have already been elected, and the incipient 
measures are being taken for the erection of a 
German Methodist Episcopal church, in this 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 123 

city. The present prospects of the mission 
are in a high degree encouraging ; and although 
our brethren have been obliged to encounter 
much opposition, arising out of long cherished 
prejudices, and bigoted attachments, yet the 
good work is still progressing, and the whiten- 
ing field promises an abundant harvest. 

" The charge of this mission is now in the 
hands of Rev. J. C. Lyon, who has recently 
been transferred from the Baltimore conference. 
Brother Doering will still remain, and assist in 
carrying on this blessed work ; and the Board 
have good reason to believe, that the establish- 
ment of this mission will result in great and 
lasting good to the German population of this 
city." 

Soon after the above report was published, 
brother Doering was removed to the Pittsburg 
German mission, and brother Lyon was left 
to labor alone in New York. We see, from 
the preceding extract, that our brethren in New 
York commenced the work in good earnest, 
and, therefore, had good ground to hope for 
success. The following report of the mission- 
ary, shows that their hopes have not been dis- 
appointed : 

"New Fork, May 5, 1843. 

"Dear Brother Pitman, — At the expira- 
tion of a full year since my appointment to the 
German mission in this city, having had a full 
opportunity of testing the excellence of our 
doctrines and discipline in their operation upon 
the Germans, within my charge, I beg leave to 



124 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

transmit to you a report of the results. I am 
free to confess, I entered upon this new field 
of labor with fears and misgivings as to the 
ultimate success. The strong and unaccounta- 
ble prejudices of the Germans against Metho- 
dism, the tenacity with which they cleave to 
that system of religious externalism, in which 
they have been trained from infancy, and their 
consequent aversion to vital and experimental 
godliness, led me to fear that the success among 
them would be too limited to justify the ex- 
pense and sacrifice required. But, blessed be 
God ! my fears and misgivings are all scattered 
to the winds, and my heart rejoices in the 
great and glorious achievements of the cross. 
Though I came among this people in much 
weakness, and with trembling, yet ' I came 
determined to know nothing among them but 
Christ Jesus, and him crucified.' And even 
here, as elsewhere, the Gospel has proved 
itself to be ' the power of God unto salvation/ 
" Owing to the want of a suitable place for 
public worship, our congregation, during the 
greater part of the year, has been comparative- 
ly small, on account of which, our influence 
was, necessarily, much circumscribed. Being 
satisfied that the success of the mission greatly 
depended upon our having a suitable house of 
worship, we made the effort to build one ; and 
"by the united exertions of a very efficient 
Board of Trustees, with the benevolent aid of 
many of our English friends, and especially, 
with the blessing of God upon our labors* the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 125 

enterprise succeeded. Our new church is 
forty-four by seventy feet in size, and has a 
good lecture room, with five class rooms, in 
the basement. It was solemnly dedicated to 
the worship of Almighty God on the 4th inst., 
in the presence of an interesting assembly, 
composed partly of foreign and native Ger- 
mans, and partly of English friends, from the 
different churches in this city. Bishops Hed- 
ding and Morris officiated on the occasion, to 
the great satisfaction and edification of all. 
After the introductory and dedicatory services, 
which were performed in German, Bishop 
Hedding read 1 Cor. ii, and Bishop Morris 
followed, with a very impressive sermon, on 
Titus ii, 14 ; at the close of which, he related 
some very interesting and encouraging facts 
and incidents, connected with the German mis- 
sions in the west. We had service again in 
the evening, in German; and the collections 
and pledges on the occasion amounted to up- 
ward of $600. Nearly $3,000 have been 
collected in various ways toward defraying the 
expenses of the ground and building, and there 
still rests upon our shoulders a debt of $10,000. 
Under so heavy a responsibility we should cer- 
tainly sink, were it not for a firm reliance upon 
the unfailing promises of God, whose treasury 
is in the hearts and pockets of his people. 

"Since the commencement of this mission, 

we have received one hundred and eighty-seven 

into society, nearly all of whom professed to 

enjoy an evidence of pardon, and a joyous 

11* 



126 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

hope of heaven. The most of them, as to the 
things of this world, are extremely poor, but 
they are rich in faith, and heirs of the king- 
dom. I visit a number of these poor families 
every day, and generally find them rejoicing in 
the Lord. During the severity of last winter, 
I found some confined to their lonely garrets, 
picking wool, for a shilling a day, without fire, 
or any means to procure fuel ; their scanty 
earnings being hardly sufficient to purchase the 
food necessary to sustain nature. But, not- 
withstanding all this, they were happy in God, 
and the love of Christ in their hearts caused 
them almost to forget their destitute circum- 
stances. A vast improvement manifests itself 
in their general deportment. Accustomed from 
their youth, to Sabbath breaking, and to dissi- 
pation of various kinds, they now flee from 
these vices as from a destroying pestilence — 
they emphatically reverence the Sabbath and 
the sanctuary of the Lord. They are remark- 
ably punctual to their family and private devo- 
tions, and often speak in our class meetings 
and love feasts of the sweetness of these ex- 
ercises. 

" The society now numbers about one hun- 
dred and thirty, including probationers. Ow- 
ing to the pressure of the times, and the diffi- 
culty of obtaining employment, many of our 
members have been driven from the city to 
seek a livelihood elsewhere, and some of these 
have returned to their own country ; but we 
have good reason to believe they will prove a 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 127 

blessing to their countrymen, where they have 
gone. Our Sabbath school is large and flour- 
ishing. It must number one hundred and sev- 
enty-five scholars. The evidence of improve- 
ment among the children, both in learning and 
piety, is apparent to all. The officers and 
teachers are punctual, diligent and persevering, 
and the interest they take in the school cannot 
fail to secure the most happy results. 

"In conclusion, while I offer my grateful 
acknowledgments to the Lord of the harvest, 
for the spiritual consolation and success afford- 
ed me in this laborious field, during the past 
year; I give it as the firm conviction of my 
mind, that there is no missionary field more 
white for the harvest than this, and none that 
promises a better remuneration to its friends. 

" In the midst of a population of from fifty 
to sixty thousand native Germans, composed 
of the most heterogeneous mass of depravity, 
we have raised the standard of the cross, and 
nearly two hundred souls have fled for refuge 
to the hope set before them. These have been 
melted together, shaped in the Gospel mold, 
sealed by the Holy Spirit, and now bear the 
image and superscription of Christ. Our 
' watch-word ' is still, ' onward and upward ; ' 
and we feel that through grace we shall be able 
to go up and possess the land. We sincerely 
and importunately beg an interest in the 
prayers of all those who love our Lord Jesus 
Christ, that this mission may be blessed with 
still greater effusions of the Holy Spirit, and 



128 ORIGIN AND TROGRESS OF 

that hundreds of the descendants of that land, 
from which dawned the light of the blessed 
Reformation, may receive the light of life. 
" Affectionately yours, 

"John C. Lyon." 

German Mission in the North Ohio confer- 
e?ice. — This was established at the session of 
the North Ohio conference in 1841, and two 
German missionaries were employed. Brother 
E. Riemenschneider was transferred from the 
Ohio conference, and Rev. D. Brickley, for- 
merly of the Evangelical Association, was ap- 
pointed to labor with him. They formed a 
large circuit, extending from the middle of Ohio 
to the shores of Lake Erie. The health of the 
latter soon failed, and brother Riemenschneider 
was left alone. During the first year, he trav- 
eled extensively in search of German settle- 
ments, through the northern part of Ohio, and 
had the satisfaction of seeing some fruits of his 
kbor in the awakening and conversion of souls. 
He was re-appointed a second year ; and in his 
report, under date of May 30th, 1842, says: 

"Dear Brother Nast, — I have encour- 
agement to trust in the Lord, and go on preach- 
ing Jesus the crucified. I am daily permitted 
to see that my labor is not in vain in the Lord. 
Since my last report, I have formed a new 
class, consisting of twenty members. Nearly 
all of them profess to have obtained the pardon 
of their sins. May God preserve them unto 
everlasting life ! Among them are eight per- 
sons who were formerly members of the Ro- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 129 

man Catholic Church. They now rejoice in 
having found a religion which consists, not in 
the traditions of men, but in the saving power 
of God. I have twelve regular appointments, 
and am about taking up several more. I travel 
around my circuit every three weeks, which is 
upward of three hundred miles in circumfer- 
ence. I have now in this mission thirty-eight 
members, and the most flattering prospects for 
the future. I also feel more encouraged to labor 
in the vineyard of the Lord than ever. I ask 
an interest in the prayers of all the friends of 
missions, for your unworthy brother, 

"E. RlEMENSCHNEIDER." 

Later accounts inform us that this mission 
has continued to prosper under the labors of 
brother Riemenschneider. A large proportion 
of those who have been converted of late, were 
formerly Roman Catholics. This is a very 
important field, and several more missionaries 
could be profitably employed in it. 

German Mission in New Orleans, — In the 
spring of 1842, at the request of Rev. William 
Winans, and of the Germans themselves, Bish- 
op Roberts sent brother Schmucker to visit 
New Orleans. He labored several weeks with 
great success and encouragement. He formed 
a society, and made arrangements to have a 
meeting-house built. Through the influence 
of some of our members from Cincinnati, who 
frequently spend the spring and summer in 
New Orleans, in trading, this society has been 
kept up. They have already built a house of 



130 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

worship, and are now anxiously waiting the 
arrival of a missionary. A young man, by the 
name of Bremer, resides in New Orleans, who 
is a licensed local preacher. He has regularly 
kept up meetings among the Germans since 
brother Schmucker left them. He wrote to 
the editor of the Christian Apologist, under 
date of October 9th, 1842, as follows : 

"Dear Brother, — As I have a good oppor- 
tunity, I wish to inform you of the work of 
God among us. Since the departure of brother 
Schmucker, we have kept our meetings up 
pretty regularly in one place ; and although the 
place is not very suitable, yet we thought regu- 
larity should be observed. For sometime past, 
I have generally exhorted the people from the 
word of God, four times a week, as far as the 
Divine Being gave me grace and ability. The 
Lord blesses his word, so that we all feel en- 
couraged and built up. Through the moving 
of the Holy Spirit, sinners have been awaken- 
ed from their slumbers. On one occasion, a 
Catholic woman ventured to come to the door 
of the house in which we were worshiping: 
she was awakened, and soon afterward found 
the pardon of her sins in the blood of Christ. 
Her husband and two others are not far from 
the kingdom of God. May God bless all these 
precious souls for Jesus' sake ! Our two last 
class meetings were the most interesting we 
have ever had. 

"Dear brethren, pray right earnestly for us, 
that the work of the Lord may prosper in this 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 131 

place; and especially pray for me, your un- 
worthy brother, Charles Bremer." 

Brother Bremer has had the yellow fever, 
and is now acclimated to the south, and prom- 
ises fair to make a successful German mission- 
ary in that part of the work. 



CHAPTER XI. 

STATE OF THE WORK IN 1843. 

We have now a line of missionaries from 
the shores of Lake Erie to New Orleans, in- 
cluding most of the principal cities along the 
western water-courses, where the Germans are 
numerous. Twelve new houses of worship 
have been built, and about twenty-five mission- 
aries are employed. 

In Cincinnati, there was a gracious work 
during the last winter; and, according to recent 
accounts from most of the other missions, they 
are in a prosperous condition. It is difficult 
now to tell the precise number in society, as 
the conferences for this year have not been held. 
The number will be published in the next an- 
nual Minutes. 

The society at Louisville has already been 
erased from the list of missions, as the Germans 
there support their own preacher. Others will 
follow the example, so soon as they gain suffi- 
cient strength. 

At the last session of the Indiana conference, 



132 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

a new mission was also established at Evans- 
ville, la. ; and at the Missouri conference, a 
mission circuit around St. Louis. At the for- 
mer place, the German population is numerous 
both in town and in the country around, and 
the call for more laborers is loud and impres- 
sive. The fields are white unto harvest in both 
places. 

Upon a survey of the whole work, we have 
the most encouraging prospects to go on and 
continue laboring in this blessed cause. May 
the Lord of the harvest send more laborers into 
this interesting and promising field ! 

We will close this chapter with the follow- 
ing remarks from the pen of brother Jacoby. 
They were published sometime ago in the 
Western Christian Advocate. It must be borne 
in mind that the writer is a converted German. 

" When we take a survey of the work of the 
Lord, as it is increasing and prospering among 
us Germans; and when we recollect how 
dreary our condition was, when our English 
brethren first sent out some preachers to ex- 
plain to the Germans in the west, the Gospel 
in its purity, and to contend valiantly against 
unbelief and superstition, we must heartily 
confess, ' The Lord has done great things for 
us.' ' What new doctrine do these men teach? 
it is not proper for us to receive it,' was the 
prevailing sentiment when our first preachers 
commenced to preach repentance and conver- 
sion to the only true God, and pointed to the 
' Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 133 

world;' yet the Spirit of the Lord attended 
their words. Souls were awakened, came out 
from the world, took up their cross and follow- 
ed the Savior; and not in vain! The Lord 
manifested himself to them as a sin-pardoning 
God, and they commenced to confess him as 
such. As Jesus had foretold, (John xvi, 20,) 
persecutions fell to their lot ; yet, as among the 
primitive Christians, these persecutions only 
served to unite them more closely in the bonds 
of love, and to lead them nearer to Christ. 
And as the love of God was shed abroad in 
their hearts, they began to feel more sensibly 
the sad condition of their countrymen, and a 
number went out to publish to them that salva- 
tion which is alone in Christ. In this way our 
missions commenced, and from all of them we 
receive the most cheering intelligence. The 
prejudices of our German countrymen are giv- 
ing way more and more ; they begin to discov- 
er that we only intend to explain to them the 
word of life, and to point them to the Savior. 
Facts also convince them that conversion does 
not merely consist in imagination ; but that it 
is the power of God which effects a uniform 
change, and that persons who formerly were 
the servants of Satan and the lusts of this 
world, now find their greatest joy and happi- 
ness in the service of God, and through his 
assistance, lead a life well pleasing to him. 
It is true, many are pained at our prosperity : 
however, the greater part of these are only 
such as lose their temporal gain through the 
12 



134 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

conversion of their fellow men. In the front 
ranks of these, are the Catholic priest and 
whisky-seller ; and, notwithstanding their ef- 
forts in every possible way, by slander and 
mockings, to impede the progress of this work, 
they cannot retard it. The blessings of Heav- 
en are everywhere manifest; souls are daily 
converted, and unite with us, and the number 
of hearers increases every week. Four of our 
societies are now engaged in building meeting- 
houses. The Christian Apologist is daily get- 
ting new subscribers, and the editor is now 
sent by our English brethren here, to the prin- 
cipal cities in the east, in order to acquaint the 
Germans there with our paper, and to enter 
into a closer communion with Germany. Ger- 
man books, for religious instruction and encour- 
agement, are being published, and every thing 
possible is done to extend the work. 

"Dear brethren, should not this excite our 
gratitude to God ? Now, let each of us con- 
tribute our mite to this. Every true follower 
of Christ can do something for the Captain of 
his salvation ; 1st. Through an upright Chris- 
tian course of conduct, by which the world 
will see that he not only confesses his Master 
with his lips, but also by his works. Through 
this many have been awakened from their sleep 
in sin, and have, through the aid of such faith- 
ful souls, found the way of salvation. 2d. By 
prayer. We know what power the prayer of 
the righteous has, (James v, 16.) Have we 
yet unconverted parents, relations, or children, 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 135 

or friends, let us pray earnestly' and without 
ceasing for them. The Lord will hear us. I 
might produce many examples of answers to 
prayer, but every Christian has an evidence of 
this in himself; and this should encourage him 
not to become weary in prayer, as long as one 
soul remains for whose conversion he feels a 
concern. And, 3d. By contribution. Let us, 
so far as our means will allow us, contribute to 
the spread of the Gospel. Yet let us bring 
our offering, as once the widow brought her 
mite, Mark xii, 42, freely, with love and 
prayer. Let us remember that we too once 
slumbered in the dark, and that through the 
free gift of good people, preachers were sent 
to us, who preached to us the word of God in 
its purity, and through which we have been 
brought to the light of the Gospel. May the 
blessing of God continue with the German 
work ! " 



CHAPTER XII. 

RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. 

Having, in the preceding pages, given an 
account of the commencement and progress of 
the work of grace among the Germans, we 
now come to notice more particularly its ope- 
ration in the awakening and conversion of indi- 
vidual cases, as evidence of the power of the 
Gospel to change the heart. Such cases are 
living proofs of the genuineness of our holy 



136 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

religion. A large number of these witnesses 
for the truth might be brought forward, but the 
limits of the present volume allow us to intro- 
duce but a few. These are given to show that 
Roman Catholics, infidels, drunkards, and self- 
righteous professors, are all within the reach of 
God's mercy, and may be brought under the 
influence of the " Gospel of Christ, which is 
the power of God unto salvation to every one 
that believeth." 

Rev. William NasVs Experience. — This 
experience is extracted from his second edito- 
rial article in the Christian Apologist : 

I was born the 15th of June, 1807, in Stutt- 
gardt, the capital of the kingdom of Wurtem- 
berg ; and, in my childhood, was dedicated by 
my parents for the ministry in the Lutheran 
Church. The Spirit of God operated upon 
my heart whilst I was a child, and convinced 
me that, to use the words of the Lutheran Cat- 
echism, I had, alas ! sinned against God, and 
had offended and provoked my faithful Creator, 
Redeemer, and Comforter, times without num- 
ber, and frequently intentionally, and under ag- 
gravating circumstances. Although I was taught 
that I had received, in infant baptism, the prom- 
ise of the Lord, that he would be a gracious 
God to me, and forgive me all my sins by mere 
grace, for the sake of Jesus Christ, I neverthe- 
less understood well, that I could not trust in 
this promise except I should heartily repent of 
all my past sins, and obtain, through a true and 
living faith in Jesus Christ, the remission of 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 137 

my sins, and the renewal of the Holy Ghost, 
so as to be able to call God, Abba, Father, and 
to live according to his commandments. The 
gracious Lord used especially my pious sisters, 
and an evangelical minister, a brother-in-law, 
as instruments to awaken these feelings in my 
heart. When the period approached that I 
should, by the rite of confirmation, renew my 
baptismal vows ; that is, should renounce the 
devil and all his works, the pomp and vanity 
of the world, and the lusts of the flesh, and 
obligate myself to serve God the Father, and 
the Lord Jesus Christ, all the days of my life ; 
then it was that I began fully to feel my great 
danger, corruption, and misery ; for I was con- 
scious that my heart was not inclined to pray, 
and to love God and his commandments, but 
was "carnal, sold under sin." The Spirit of 
God taught me, that I was not able, by my own 
strength, to fulfill the promise I should make, 
inasmuch as in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelt 
no good thing; and that, therefore, a total 
change of my heart must take place through 
the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Inasmuch 
as I believed, on the one hand, that the wages 
of sin is death ; and as I knew, on the other 
hand, that there were some persons who were 
in Christ Jesus, and walked not after the flesh, 
but after the Spirit, I could no longer quiet my- 
self in remaining carnally minded and sold un- 
der sin. My heart, oppressed with sin and 
guilt, sought light and comfort in the conversa- 
tions and prayer meetings of the despised Pie- 
12* 



138 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

tists. I humbled myself before God, and cried 
often on my knees : " 0, Lord Jesus ! have 
mercy upon me 1" My distress lasted several 
weeks, until the evening of the confirmation 
day, which I still remember vividly. It was a 
rainy day : the sun was covered with clouds. 
Trembling and weeping, I stood before the altar 
and answered the questions. In the evening I 
hastened with a heavy heart, notwithstanding 
the rain, to a solitary place in the fields, in order 
to find the Lord, whom my soul longed after. 
He heard my cries in that hour, and sealed the 
pardon of my sins upon my heart. The next 
morning, the whole creation appeared to me as 
it had never done before. Every thing looked 
lovely and glorious. On every spire of grass 
I saw the imprint of the goodness of God. 
All about me and all within me praised the 
Lord. My heart had peace with God, and love 
to all men. 

"Jesus all the day long, 

Was my joy and my song; 
O, that all his salvation might see ! 

He has loved me, I cried, 

He has suffered and died, 
To redeem such a rebel as me. 

" On the wings of his love, 

I was carried above 
All sin, and temptation, and pain ; 

And I could not believe, 

That I ever should grieve, 
That I ever should suffer again." 

But, alas! I was soon robbed of my child-like 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 139 

faith. I was sent into a theological seminary, 
which was under Rationalistic influence ; and, 
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtil- 
ty, so my mind was corrupted from the sim- 
plicity that is in Christ. Instead of being nour- 
ished with the sincere milk of the word, that I 
might grow up thereby to a man in Christ, I 
was fed with heathenish nectar and ambrosia. 
We read, indeed, in the original, Moses and 
the prophets; who, as our Lord assures us, 
testify of him. But according to the interpre- 
tation of our professors, this was only accom- 
modation, and the apostles were commonly 
mistaken when they applied the prophecies of 
the Old Testament. The sole object of my 
class-mates was, not to become embassadors 
for Christ, but heroes, poets, and philosophers. 
Only one inquired after the Savior of sinners. 
One year I continued to weep and pray in se- 
cret, and I was often blessed, and strengthened, 
and revived. I felt the need of a clean heart, 
and tried to seek that blessing ; but when I cor- 
responded upon this subject with my distant, 
pious friends, they told me, that the expecta- 
tion to be made free from all sin was spiritual 
pride. I then sinned and repented, and sinned 
again, until, after repeated backslidings, I cast 
off my confidence, and was carried away by 
the torrent of the spirit of the age. I fell into 
the depths of mystical Pantheism, the most 
modern form of atheism. Nevertheless, the 
firm conviction remained in my heart, that, if 
there was happiness to be enjoyed in another 



140 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

world by the poor soul of man, it could only 
be found through faith in a crucified Redeemer. 

After I had studied the ancient languages for 
four years, and mental philosophy for two, 
I withdrew, voluntarily, from the service of the 
Church, and paid for the instruction which I 
had received gratuitously from the Church, out 
of my own means, and my intention was, to 
devote myself exclusively to science and litera- 
ture. My remaining in the service of the 
Church would have secured to me wealth, hon- 
or and ease ; but my conscience did not permit 
me to profess and teach a doctrine which I did 
not believe from the heart, or, at best, which I 
interpreted in an entirely different sense from 
the Church. I was not willing, for the sake 
of a living, or to please friends, to make a sol- 
emn promise of preaching according to the arti- 
cles of religion in the Lutheran Church, which 
Rationalism had taught me to reject, and which 
I saw was rejected by most of the doctors of 
divinity, and their scholars. I was conscious, 
too, that, according to the holy Scriptures, I 
was no Christian, and nothing appeared more 
absurd to me, than, that a man, who is him- 
self unreconciled to God, and resists his holy 
Spirit, should dare to preach the word of recon- 
ciliation. 

I sought rest for my soul in the arts and sci- 
ences, but could not find it. Then the God of 
mercy stretched out his arm after the prodigal 
son, and led him in a way which he did not 
know. I heard much of the liberties of the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 141 

United States, and was informed that there was 
a scarcity of classical teachers. This inspired 
me with a desire to see this country. I arrived 
at New York in the fall of 1828 ; and four 
years afterward, it pleased God to awaken me 
thoroughly at a Methodist camp meeting, in 
Tuscarawas valley, Pennsylvania, the second 
time. The scales fell from my eyes. I saw 
and felt that I had despised the atoning blood 
of Jesus Christ — that I had been blinded by 
Satan, and had heaped wrath upon wrath. I 
did not harden myself against this call of God, 
which I consideied the last, but wrestled, and, 
with many tears, supplicated God to forgive 
my sins, and renew my heart. For nearly 
three years, however, it seemed as if the Lord 
had cast me off for ever, and would be favora- 
ble to me no more — as if his mercy was clean 
gone for ever— as if God had forgotten to be 
gracious — as if he had, in anger, shut up his 
tender mercies. But, blessed be his holy 
name ! I had now found a city of refuge in the 
Methodist Church. One Methodist preacher 
after another raised my spirits, from time to 
time, and kept them from sinking into despair, 
by pointing me to the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sins of the world. When I was on 
the point of giving up the struggle, I was again 
encouraged by the members of the Church, 
who prayed fervently with me and for me. 
And often did I hear, in class meetings and 
love feasts, this people of God testify, from 
blessed experience, that Jesus casts out none 



142 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

that come to him. Never can I forget the 
gratitude which I owe to my Methodist breth- 
ren. They will receive their reward in heaven. 
Through their faith and love, the smoking flax 
was kept from being quenched. I did not let 
the Lord go until he blessed me. It was on 
the 18th of January, 1835, that I was born 
again, unto a lively hope, with joy unspeakable 
and full of glory — to an inheritance incorrupti- 
ble and undenled, and that fadeth not away, 
reserved in heaven for those who are kept by 
the power of God through faith unto salvation. 
I gave myself to the Lord, without reserve. I 
could not refrain from confessing publicly, 
what great things the Lord had done for me, 
and how merciful he was to me. I also warn- 
ed and exhorted my fellow men. I became 
convinced that now was the time to perform 
the service in the Gospel, which my parents 
promised to the Lord in my stead, and to be- 
come a witness of the long continued patience of 
our great Shepherd, in seeking that which was 
lost. The Church, of which I had become a 
member, also called me to the work, on which 
account I left, in August, 1835, a situation as 
teacher of ancient languages, at an English col- 
lege, and was received by the Ohio conference 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church into the 
traveling connection. 

Will any of my readers find fault with me, 
that I left the Church in which I was brought 
up, and joined the Methodists? Do not the 
providence of God, and the fact that it pleased 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 143 

the Spirit of grace to make the Methodists the 
instrument of my conversion, fully justify my 
change ? If any should hesitate to answer this 
question affirmatively, I beg him to examine 
the doctrines of the Methodist Church, and he 
will be convinced that she is built upon the 
same unshaken rock as Luther built upon, 
namely, " That a man is justified through 
faith by grace alone." The differences which 
exist between the Lutheran and Methodist de- 
nominations, consist only in their present re- 
spective state of spirituality, in their discipline, 
and especially in the manner in which the min- 
isters of the Gospel are called to their work. 
With regard to these points, I freely confess 
that a deliberate and prayerful comparison of 
what I have seen with my own eye, heard 
with my own ear, and felt in my own heart, 
with what is contained in the holy Scriptures, 
has induced me to prefer the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church to the Church of my fathers ; and 
I have as yet found no reason to regret my 
separation from it, but am, every day, more 
thankful for the high privileges which I enjoy, 
as a Methodist. 

Rev* George A. Breunig's Experience. — 
This experience is translated from the Chris- 
tian Apologist : 

I was born of Roman Catholic parents, in 
Germany, who used their best endeavors to 
have me instructed in every thing necessary to 
my present and everlasting well being. I was 
early made acquainted with the means of grace, 



144 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

or sacraments, of which the Roman Catholic 
Church acknowledges seven, namely, 1. Bap- 
tism. 2. Confirmation. 3. Sacrament of the 
Altar. 4. Penance. 5. Extreme Unction. 6. 
The consecration of the Priest. 7. Marriage. 
Notwithstanding the Roman Catholic Church, 
as she believes, is so rich in the means of grace, 
and I had observed the most of them, yet I was 
ungodly, and became more so from day to day. 
I sought the pleasures of the world as much as 
was in my power, and my disposition for these 
increased daily. I was, however, not concern- 
ed on that account, for I comforted myself with 
the reflection that I was a Catholic Christian. 
Often I heard from the pulpit, in the school, 
and from my parents, how much better we 
were off, than thousands of our fellow men, 
who were not Roman Catholic Christians, and 
on that account, could have no hope of salva- 
tion. (May Cod have mercy upon the poor 
people who have no hope of salvation, and 
upon those who think they alone have a hope !) 
When I thought of dying, it is true, I did not 
expect that I could get to heaven, but to purga- 
tory, of which I was not so much afraid, be- 
cause it was only to last for a time. Yet, at 
certain times, I felt very restless, on account of 
my sins, and then would go to confession. 
Confession was always a hard task for me; 
because I was taught in the school, that no sins 
dare be kept secret, but that each particular sin, 
of whatever kind it might be, must be faithfully 
related to the priest, who is himself a sinful 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 145 

man. Of this I was very much ashamed. Re- 
gardless of him, it, alas, often happened, that I 
spent the afternoon of the holy Sabbath in 
committing the same sins which I had confes- 
sed in the forenoon, and for which I had taken 
the sacrament. This was, to be sure, not the 
preacher's fault, inasmuch as he had exhorted 
me, in the confession chair, to do so no more. 
Also, from time to time, my conscience re- 
minded me of death and judgment. I endeav- 
ored, however, to dismiss these thoughts from 
my mind, by observing my fellow men, who 
were, by almost every one, esteemed good 
Christians. Even our school-teacher, who, 
owing to his situation, should especially have 
given a good example, and was considered a 
good Christian, was, notwithstanding, a distin- 
guished lover of card playing and dancing ; and 
not till some years after, when an illegitimate 
daughter sued him for her part of his inheri- 
tance, and in that manner made manifest his 
disgrace, were the eyes of the people opened 
to the fact that he was not a Christian. By 
this, I do not finally condemn this school- 
teacher. May God grant him true repentance, 
that he may obtain mercy, and stand in that 
day ! Even my preacher was often seen at the 
card table, and in the dancing room, and this, 
withal, on the Lord's day ! May the Savior 
open the eyes of the understanding of the de- 
ceiver, as well as of the deceived! Teachers 
teach in the school, and preachers from the 
pulpit, and in the confession chair, that we 
13 



146 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

must do no evil ; but in their conduct, many of 
them are examples of wickedness, and manifest 
their unrighteousness in all kinds of ways. In 
Moses' seat the Scribes and Pharisees are seat- 
ed, " All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you 
observe, that observe and do." (If it is accord- 
ing to the Scripture, the Savior means.) " But 
do not ye after their works : for they say and 
do not." The woe is pronounced upon them 
by the Savior, "If the blind lead the blind, 
both will fall into the ditch." But is there, as 
I was taught, a nethermost hell, then it will be 
for the false teachers. 0, what a dreadful con- 
demnation will the false prophets finally have 
to bear, because they have dragged so many 
souls with them into everlasting destruction. I 
will again speak of myself. Until the 23d 
year of my age, I participated in all the pleas- 
ures of the world, notwithstanding, I, as alrea- 
dy remarked, from time to time, according to 
custom, went to confession, and also frequently, 
thank God, heard the voice speaking to my 
heart. 

About this time the Pope proclaimed a jubi- 
lee throughout all Roman Christendom. Men 
were to be released from all present and eternal 
punishment by following certain precepts : 
namely, to visit a certain number of particular 
churches, to pray over a certain number of 
beads each day, to abstain from certain meats, 
go to confession and communion ; and should 
one die during this time, he was not to go to 
purgatory, but immediately to heaven. When 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 147 

I heard this I believed that the Pope had known 
my condition, because he suffered such a mer- 
ciful jubilee. I now expected to be made free 
from all the burden of my sins, and therefore 
observed all the precepts punctiliously. But 
my corroding conscience did not suffer itself 
to be thus quieted. By grace we are saved 
through faith, and not by the deeds of the law 
neither will God give the honor of pardoning 
the sinner to man, nor even to the Pope. My 
soul would not be comforted, thirsting for some- 
thing else. When God had so powerfully 
called me, and I promised him to mend my 
life, I felt an inward hatred to the sins I had 
previously loved ; I kept myself from all vain 
company, and became delighted with reading 
and praying. Notwithstanding I had kept what 
had passed in my mind a secret, and believed 
that it was only known to God, yet my father 
and the family soon observed that there was a 
great change in me. They were rejoiced at 
this, that I had become more virtuous ; but I 
was often reminded of the hours when I had 
felt the wrath of God abiding upon me, and 
often doubted whether my sins were pardoned. 
Pardoned they were not; yet, through the 
mercy of God, the law became my schoolmas- 
ter, until his grace in Christ appeared to me. 
The Lord permitted me to see the nature of 
sin ; and I found it insupportable to live with 
ungodly people : I looked in vain for good peo- 
ple. Then I thought if I should travel to Amer- 
ica, I could there serve God in solitude as 1 



148 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

wished to do. But now I lacked means for 
traveling, for I was poor. But God, my heaven- 
ly Father, is rich ; with him there is no want 
of ways and means, and he always helps those 
that fear him. He inclined the heart of a very 
wealthy neighbor to go to America. I disclosed 
to him my desire to go with him, and wished 
him to let me have the loan of money to take 
me on my journey ; which he did. We came 
in the year 1833; and, through the blessing of 
God, in two years I was able to pay my bene- 
factor. May God richly bless him for that 
which he has done for me ! Through this 
means I came to a country where religious liber- 
ty exists, and where all may obtain and read the 
Bible. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget 
not all his benefits to me ! 

When I arrived in Baltimore, I embraced the 
first opportunity to go to confession and to com- 
munion, and renewed my determination to lead 
a life well pleasing to God. Soon after this, I 
became acquainted with a Lutheran, who was 
a very friendly man. As often as we conversed 
together on the subject of religion, deep sighs 
would arise from my breast. He smiled, and 
asked me why I sighed ? upon which I disclos- 
ed to him the condition of my soul. He prais- 
ed God, and said this was the new birth. I 
was much astonished at that which he told me, 
of which I had never heard before. I was re- 
joiced to have found a man to whom I could 
open my heart, and endeavored, accordingly, 
to believe his instruction, that God had pardon- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 149 

ed my sins; but I could only believe this at 
certain times ; and at times again, my faith 
would forsake me entirely, because I yet felt 
the dominion of sin, and had a tormenting fear 
of death. Not until three years afterward, did 
I experience that this was not the new birth, 
but only the commencement of the work of 
grace — that the new-born soul feels peace with 
God, through Jesus Christ, as a sick man feels 
when he has obtained a remedy for his disease. 
To tell, however, how I obtained this, I must 
again return to my Lutheran friend. He ex- 
horted me to read the Bible, and especially the 
New Testament; and said when I prayed, I 
should pray to no one but God, in the name of 
Jesus Christ ; that I should not call upon the 
saints, nor the mother of Christ, to make inter- 
cession for me ; for Jesus Christ is the only 
Mediator and Intercessor between God and 
man. He told me that the Roman Catholic 
Church held some injurious and gross errors. 
This I did not love to hear ; and I answered 
that the Roman Church commands nothing that 
is unnecessary — that it was all good and whole- 
some, if correctly used; yet scruples entered 
my mind in reference to my answer. I asked 
myself, have you not kept all things that the 
Church commanded you, and are you not, after 
all, a poor sinner, exposed to damnation? I 
therefore followed the counsel of my friend, 
and commenced to read the New Testament. 
Wisely he pointed me to the following passa- 
ges : "A bishop, then, must be the husband of 
18* 



150 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

one wife — one that ruleth well his own house, 
having his children in subjection with all grav- 
ity," 1 Timothy iii, 1-5. Again, " Now the 
Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter 
times some shall depart from the faith, giving 
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils ; 
speaking lies in hypocrisy ; having their con- 
science seared with a hot iron; forbidding to 
marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, 
which God hath created to be received with 
thanksgiving of them which believe and know 
the truth. For every creature of God is good, 
and nothing to be refused, if it be received with 
thanksgiving : for it is sanctified by the word 
of God and prayer," 1 Timothy iv, 1-5. These 
passages brought me to reflection. Above all, 
I wished to examine whether the Lutheran Bi- 
ble agreed with the Catholic. I therefore bor- 
rowed a Catholic Testament. The compari- 
son of one with the other, convinced me that 
these passages were the same in the Catholic 
Testament. God gave me grace to believe that 
it was his infallible word, and that men are fal- 
lible, and liable to turn aside from his word. I 
now visited my friend frequently, in order to 
obtain an opportunity to read in his Bible. My 
confidence increased, and I obtained more and 
more light ; yet I did not think that I would 
leave the Roman Catholic Church, and contin- 
ued two years in this determination. I went 
diligently to church, and embraced all oppor- 
tunities to serve God. During this time, it also 
happened that a Catholic offered to sell me a 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 151 

New Testament. He said he had read enough 
in it in his youth, and would have nothing more 
to do with it. I gave him fifty cents for it, and 
was now very much rejoiced that I, for myself, 
had once obtained a New Testament. My de- 
light in reading increased from day to day. 
My conscience, likewise, became more and 
more tender. I spent all my evening hours in 
reading. My spiritual eyes were more and 
more opened, and the light shone brighter and 
brighter. The words of the Gospel shone into 
my heart. The words of Jesus were to me 
quickening, full of comfort and instruction. 
Soon after this I bought myself a Bible, which 
I read in my shop, in order to improve every 
leisure moment I had in reading. I also some- 
times went into the Lutheran church, not with 
any intention to leave the Roman Catholic 
Church, but only in order to prove the doctrine. 
I must, however, confess, that soon I liked the 
preaching and singing in the Lutheran church 
much better than the Roman Catholic manner 
of worship ; for I understood what was sung 
and could join in singing; while from the mass 
there was nothing for my understanding nor 
heart ; and when it was over, it was to me like 
an empty dream, from which one awaketh. 
From the Lutheran sermons I likewise received 
more benefit, because I heard more of Jesus, 
and the word preached according to the teach- 
ing of the Bible. I was now so far acquainted 
with the doctrines of the Gospel, that I could 
no more believe in the adoration of the saints 



152 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

and relics, and purgatory, and suchlike things. 
I also no longer believed in mass, because I 
never had obtained a benefit from it. It was 
very objectionable to my mind, that worship 
in mass and vesper were performed in the Latin 
language, which I could not understand. I 
could, truly, with many others, say them off, 
but knew not the meaning of the words. How 
foolish and sinful it is to approach God in prayer 
without knowing what we say ! 

A priest who heard of me, visited me during 
this time, in order to warn me against falling 
off. I told him that I intended to believe noth- 
ing else but the Bible ; whereupon he answered 
me that the primitive Christians had no Bibles, 
and that we dare not, alone, follow the Bible. 
I told him that the primitive Christians had the 
Old Testament and the four Gospels, and be- 
fore the apostles departed from this world, they 
also had the Epistles in their possession. He 
sought, by all kinds of artful persuasion, to 
turn me from my simplicity and sincerity in the 
faith of the Gospel, and recommended a book 
to me which he would send me, and which I 
had to promise to read. This book I found full 
of pretended showings, that the Roman Catho- 
lic was the only infallible and true Church; 
but the most of the arguments were not taken 
from the Bible, but from primitive fathers ; and 
among those that were taken from the Bible, 
the sense of the inspired writers was, in many 
places, misrepresented. So, through the preach- 
er and the book, I was brought to discover, that 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 153 

if I would read and believe the Bible, I could 
not remain a Roman Catholic ; and if I would 
remain one, I must lay aside the Bible, and 
content myself with what the priest would tell 
me. I was now brought to an inward conflict. 
The scoffs which I would have to endure from 
my acquaintances, if I should go out from 
among them ; the ill will of my father and my 
relations, if they should hear of it ; the fearful 
curse pronounced by the Romans upon those 
who are disobedient to their Church; these 
things, like great mountains, stood in my way. 
On the other hand, it appeared impossible for 
me to lay aside the word of God, for it was 
sweeter to my soul than honey or the honey- 
comb. It had drawn my heart, as the magnet 
draws the metal. When I read it, I thought that 
every word gave witness that the Bible contain- 
ed nothing but God's truth. 

Frequently, while reading, I would have to 
involuntarily fall upon my knees, and with a 
loud voice, praise God for his unspeakable gift. 
However, after I had read the priest's book, 
doubts and darkness came upon me : my heart 
was broken down, and my eyes were filled with 
tears. At a certain time, my inward conflict 
rose so high, that I was on the borders of des- 
pair. I did not regard the persecution of my 
friends. My only concern was, to find the 
right way. I felt that I could no longer live, 
without certainty in religion. I could not de- 
pend upon man. The Catholics could not take 
from me the light that God had given to me. 



154 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Neither could the Lutherans, (notwithstanding 
they did all they could-) give me that peace 
which my soul desired. In this disposition of 
mind, I went once, at midnight, under the open 
sky, threw myself upon my knees, and called 
upon God, in the name of Jesus, "O, God, 
that hast said, ' If a child should ask bread of 
a father, would he give him a stone ? and if he 
should ask for a fish, would he give him a ser- 
pent? If ye, then, being evil, can give good 
gifts unto your children, how much more will 
God give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.' 
O, God, most merciful Savior, thou art not like 
unto man; thou knowest what I desire. I 
desire to get upon the right way, and walk 
therein. O, teach thou me what I shall do." 
In this manner I prayed for some length of 
time, and then retired to my bed again. I 
could, however, sleep but little, for my soul 
was engaged for the one thing needful. As I 
entered the work-shop in the morning, the first 
thing I viewed was the Bible, which was lay- 
ing by the side of the priest's book, upon a 
bench. I felt an inexpressible drawing toward 
the Bible. I took it, kissed it, and leaped for 
joy. I opened and read, and every letter ap- 
peared to say to me, this is the way to truth. 
I looked at the priest's book with disapproba- 
tion, and also soon sent it back to the priest. 
Blessed be God, my Savior, who has establish- 
ed my heart ! 

From this time, I went no more to the Ko- 
man Catholic Church. Now I was pointed at 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 155 

by the finger of scorn. I, however, was not 
concerned about it. My nearest friend, a rigid 
Catholic, did all he could to win me back, and 
said I would go where M. Luther is. " Yes," 
replied I, "yes, dear brother, this is my ear- 
nest desire. I firmly believe that he is in heav- 
en," (when I said this, my friend turned pale, 
and crossed himself,) "like Huss, and many 
others, whom the Romish Church executed, 
through her inquisitions ; and had they the 
power this day, I too, would have been led to 
the slaughter bench. Yet, I believe, that for 
Jesus and the sake of his truth, I should be 
willing to suffer all." Whereupon my friend 
said I had drank whisky, and showed me the 
room door. I remembered that they called my 
Savior a wine-bibber, and said Peter was 
drunken with new wine, and was glad to suffer 
reproach for Jesus' sake. So far God had 
enlightened me through his precious word, but 
I lacked something yet of being a Christian. 
I was acquainted with some Lutheran brethren, 
who, like myself, were seeking the salvation 
of their souls. We agreed to hold a prayer 
meeting once a week, of which the Lutheran 
preacher himself was the leader. He was an 
honest man, who taught us the way as well as 
he knew it himself; but as he was infirm, he 
soon left as ; exhorting us, however, before his 
departure, that we should continue to assemble 
for prayer, and appointing me for the leader. 
We obeyed his instruction, but found ourselves 
much embarrassed, because none of us would 



156 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

venture to pray extemporaneously in public, 
notwithstanding we could pray in secret ; but 
God helped us in our extremity. In the house 
where we held our meeting, I met a man whom 
I heard speak with the landlord on the subject 
of religion, and whom I loved, and in whom I 
had confidence. I laid our case before him, 
and asked him to become our leader, to which 
he consented. He opened our meeting with 
singing and prayer, read a portion of Scripture, 
and exhorted us from it, and then called upon 
us to pray. We all excused ourselves, where- 
upon he concluded with prayer, himself, and 
asked us whether we would meet again. We 
met again the following Sabbath, as there was 
no preaching in the Lutheran church, at that 
time. After he had opened the meeting, as 
before, he explained to us more clearly the na- 
ture of evangelical repentance ; and that upon 
repentance, faith must follow, through which 
we receive the forgiveness of our sins ; and 
that without it we could not inherit the kingdom 
of God. While he was speaking, it pleased 
God to baptize me with fire and with the Holy 
Ghost. It appeared to me as if mountains lay 
upon my heart. My buiden pressed me so 
heavily that I cried aloud to God. I sought to 
restrain myself, but could not. I then cast 
myself into the arms of Jesus, who says, 
" Come unto me, all ye that are weary and 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest;" and, 
also, I obtained peace with God. Now my 
mouth was opened, and I could pray and praise 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 157 

God ; for I was made a partaker of the Spirit, 
through which I could cry, " Abba, Father." 
The Spirit of God gave witness to my spirit, 
that I was a child of God. Old things had 
passed away, and behold, all things had become 
new. Every word in the Bible spoke peace 
to my soul. Soon afterward, my wife and six- 
teen of my brothers and sisters, received the 
same blessing. 

But now, new persecution commenced. The 
Lutherans united with the Catholics in perse- 
cuting us. Soon after, another Lutheran preach- 
er came, who was a strict observer of the letter. 
He became our enemy, and alas, offended many 
of these little ones, who believed in Jesus. 

This is the conclusion of my experience of 
true Christianity. I will now add some 
thoughts on the Roman Catholic Church. 

I was often asked if I could not be a good 
Christian in the Roman Catholic Church, and 
if I believed that there were no good persons 
in it? The latter I did not doubt in the least, 
but the former I had to answer in the negative. 
If I had remained in the Romish Church, I 
would have gone against my conscience and 
convictions ; and who can be well pleasing to 
God who opposes his Spirit and his own con- 
science? All who receive the Bible as the 
word of God, and read it with attention, must 
acknowledge that the teaching of the Romish 
Church directly contradicts the holy Scrip- 
tures, and, instead of leading the wanderer to 
God, leads him still farther astray. 
14 



158 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

The worship of saints is a leading away 
from God. God says, "I will not give my 
glory to another." But, say the Roman Cath- 
olics, " We do not worship the saints, but only 
call upon God through them ; and through their 
intercession with God, we obtain that for which 
we pray." This doctrine arose from the bot- 
tomless pit, and came from the father of lies. 
Jesus Christ is the only intercessor: "For 
there is one God, and one Mediator between 
God and man, the man Christ Jesus," 1 Tim. 
ii, 5. It is also to be observed, that while some 
Catholics believe that alone through the inter- 
cession of the saints we are made worthy to 
approach Jesus, the greater part, who have but 
limited views of religion, expect their help en- 
tirely and alone from the saints. But not alone 
the command, "Thou shalt have no gods be- 
side me," but also the command, " Thou shalt 
not make unto thee any graven images, nor 
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, 
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the 
waters under the earth," has been violated by 
the Romish Church. God well knew that the 
making of images would lead to idolatry, and 
notwithstanding the enlightened ones among 
them are ashamed of the doctrine of their 
Church on these points, and do not wish to be 
counted simple enough to worship saints and 
relics, yet it is known to the world that the 
greater part of them bow and kneel to images. 

Go to Austria and old Berne, and you will 
find heathens kneeling before their images. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 159 

Again, go to Asia and Africa, and you would 
imagine you see Catholics kneeling before their 
images. In the Bible we find nothing of the 
worshiping of saints, but directly the contrary. 
" Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I 
will deliver you," saith God. " Whatsoever 
ye shall ask the Father in my name, I will give 
you," is the promise of the Savior. 

I believe that the Roman Catholic Church 
would be frightened, if she could see many 
of the saints that she worships. Others that 
may be in heaven, we should leave undisturbed. 
As faithful followers of the Lamb, they are 
truly worthy of honor ; yet they have to con- 
fess of themselves, after they have done all, 
"We are unprofitable servants," and are saved 
by grace ; and the honor of the good we have 
done through grace, all belongs to God, who 
created us thereunto in Jesus Christ. If it were 
the will of God that the saints should answer 
when called upon, they would, undoubtedly, 
say what the angel told John, Rev. xix, 10: 
" See that thou do it not : I am thy fellow ser- 
vant, and of thy brethren." They would do 
like Peter, who, as Cornelius fell down to wor- 
ship him, raised him up, &c, Acts x, 25, 26. 
Jesus Christ is the only and all-sufficient inter- 
cessor with God for us. O that my brethren 
would acquaint themselves with the Bible ! then 
they would become acquainted with the char- 
acter of the Savior. Who is of so much love 
and mercy, humility and friendship, as Jesus ? 
No one who is sincere need be afraid of him. 



160 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

He says, " Whosoever will come unto me, I 
will in no wise cast him off." How he calls 
and invites us, " Come unto me, all ye that 
are weary and heavy laden : I will give you 
rest." Cast your eyes to Golgotha — there ever- 
lasting love hangs upon the cross with out- 
stretched arms, calling and thirsting for poor 
sinners. The thief freely prayed to him, 
" Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy 
kingdom ;" whereupon he immediately receiv- 
ed the answer, " This day shalt thou be with 
me in paradise." 

The doctrine of purgatory is another great 
error, the bad effects of which will only be 
fully realized in eternity. How many quiet 
their own souls with this in time, and will after- 
ward wake up in hell, where there will be 
nothing but endless lamentation and sorrow? 
The doctrine of purgatory dishonors the merit 
and power of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus 
Christ. Jesus has purchased a full redemp- 
tion — in his name is forgiveness of sins : " For 
by one offering he hath perfected for ever them 
that are sanctified," Heb. x, 14. God has 
opened up a way of salvation to man through 
Jesus Christ. He offers to all salvation through 
free grace. But he who would be saved, must 
become obedient to the Gospel, truly and evan- 
gelically repent, and then put his whole trust 
in the merits of Christ. Then will the prom- 
ise be fulfilled in him, " Their sins and their 
iniquities will I remember no more." But 
when there is forgiveness, there is no more 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 161 

offering for sin. Also, with the pardon of sin, 
the person receives a new heart. So says the 
prophet Ezekiel, xxxvi, 26, 27: " A new heart 
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put 
within you ; and I will take away the stony 
heart out of your flesh, and will give you a 
heart of flesh ; and I will put my Spirit within 
you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and 
ye shall keep my judgments and do them." 
This is the work of regeneration, in reference 
to which the Old and New Testaments bear 
an agreeing testimony; and in reference to 
which our Lord positively assures us, that " ex- 
cept a man be born again, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God." "But there is, therefore, 
now no condemnation to them which are in 
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but 
after the Spirit." But is the question asked, 
will the children of God who are born again 
remain without sin? Then we will let the 
apostle John answer in his 1st Epistle ii, 1 : 
"My little children, these things write I unto 
you, that ye sin not ; and if any man sin, we 
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 
the righteous." So long, therefore, as this Ad- 
vocate is viewed as sufficient by the Father, we 
need no purgatory. " If we confess our sins, 
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 
" The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth 
us from all sin." So long as the blood of Jesus 
Christ retains its virtue, we need no purgatory. 
Do we not clearly discover from this, that it is 
14* 



162 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

an anti-christian doctrine? To suppose the 
case of a moralist who has committed no out- 
breaking crimes, but only " venial " sins ; who, 
according to the doctrine of the Romish Church, 
will not go to hell, but only to purgatory, where 
he must do penance for his sins. Such a saint 
could ascribe but a small part of his salvation 
to the merits of Christ; namely, this, that by 
his baptism he was washed from original sin — 
the rest of his salvation he has wrought out 
himself, in that, through his morality, he has 
escaped hell, and for his " venial" sins he 
has paid by his penance in purgatory. With 
such as wish to be saved by their own merits, 
God is not well pleased. The language of the 
redeemed is, " While we were dead in trespas- 
ses and sins, Christ has made us alive." " By 
grace are ye saved through faith, and that not 
of yourselves, it is the gift of God : not of 
works, lest any man should boast." 

I fear that if all the Roman Catholics would 
get to heaven, there would then be nothing but 
boasting, while they are seeking their salvation 
through their own righteousness. Yet God, 
who is merciful, has power sufficient to bring 
many of those who are yet in error, to a saving 
knowledge of the truth. 

I also wish to make some remarks about 
mass. In mass, I was instructed that Jesus 
was offered without blood. Mass is called a 
reconciliation, thank and intercession offering ; 
but we can find nothing of it in the New Tes- 
tument. Where do we find that the apostles 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 163 

went about reading mass ? They preached the 
Gospel, baptized, and showed forth the Lord's 
death, in that they took bread and wine in 
remembrance of him. Do the Roman Catho- 
lics likewise? No. Since 1216, the priests 
have acted directly contrary to the words of the 
Savior, by denying the wine to the people. 
For a number of centuries, mass offerings were 
not known. After this, however, he of whom 
the prophet Daniel spake, arose, see xi, 37, 38. 
So also, the apostle Paul prophesied, 1 Tim. iv, 
1-3. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, 
that in the latter times, some shall depart from 
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and 
doctrines of devils ; speaking lies in hypocrisy ; 
having their conscience seared with a hot iron." 
As a Roman Catholic read the above verses to 
me, and said, " This means you, because you 
have fallen from the faith," I requested him to 
read the following verse, and asked him if the 
Romish priests were not meant by it ? to which 
he could give no answer : " Forbidding to mar- 
ry, and commanding to abstain from meats, 
which God hath created to be received with 
thanksgiving of them which believe and know 
the truth." Again, whoever is acquainted with 
Church history, knows how far the Romish 
Church has departed from the teaching of Pe- 
ter, 1 Peter v, 2, 3 : "Feed the flock of God 
which is among you, taking the oversight there- 
of, not by constraint, but willingly ; not for 
filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as 
being lords over God's heritage, but being en- 



164 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

samples to the flock." It appears that the 
apostle had a revelation of the fall of the 
Church. Who does not know to what extent 
the Pope has usurped authority, not only over 
the consciences of men, but also over worldly 
rulers ? As says the apostle Paul, Acts xx, 29 : 
" For I know this, that after my departing shall 
grievous wolves enter in among you, not spar- 
ing the flock." How mournfully has the Pa- 
pal Church fulfilled this in herself, by shedding 
the blood of thousands of the saints, who stead- 
fastly refused to worship the beast, and to re- 
ceive his mark ? "Beware," says the Savior 
himself, " of the false prophets which come to 
you in sheep's clothing; but inwardly they are 
ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know 
them." By their fruits false teachers always 
could, and still can be known, let their name 
be what it may. Here, also, a word concern- 
ing the marriage state, which the priests are 
forbidden to enter into. According to the 
teaching of the apostle Peter, 1 Tim. iii, each 
bishop, or preacher of the Gospel, can do ac- 
cording to his own judgment; he can follow 
the example of Peter, and marry, or, like Paul, 
abstain from marriage — he can do either to the 
glory of God ; but the Romish Church requires 
of all who wish to devote themselves to the 
priest's office, the presumptuous vow to abstain 
from marriage all the days of their lives. From 
all this, and much more that could be named, 
it is manifest that the Romish Church has de- 
parted from the word of God. This departure 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 165 

Is clearly described, 2 Thess. ii, 3, 4: " For 
that day shall not come, except there come a 
falling away first, and that man of sin be re- 
vealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth 
and exalteth himself above all that is called 
God, or that is worshiped : so that he, as God, 
sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself, 
that he is God." The Pope assumes the place 
of God, by pretending to forgive sins, or to 
have the power to condemn to hell, which God 
alone can do. 

Again — the Romish Church professes to be 
infallible, while none but God can claim to be 
infallible. If our first parents, who were cre- 
ated in the image of God, holy, just and wise, 
could be deceived, how much more could the 
Pope, who is a fallen being, be led into sin and 
fall into errors ? What a presumption it is in 
the heads of the Church, to say they cannot 
err. Nothing upon earth is without deception 
but the word of God. This is to be our rule 
of faith and practice. So says Paul, Gal. i, 8 : 
" But though we, or an angel from heaven, 
preach any other Gospel unto you than that 
which we have preached unto you, let him be 
accursed." The Lord Jesus himself, says, 
Rev. xxii, 18, 19: "For I testify unto every 
man that heareth the words of the prophecy of 
this book, if any man shall add unto these 
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that 
are written in this book : and if any man shall 
take away from the words of the book of this 
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of 



166 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

the book of life, and out of the holy city, and 
from the things which are written in this 
book." 

In conclusion, a word to my Roman Catholic 
brethren after the flesh. My ardent desire is, 
that they (priest and people) may be brought 
to a true knowledge of Christ. This would 
also soon come to pass, if they would allow 
themselves to be moved to read the Bible with 
attention and prayer. Quite lately a young 
man was converted by the power of God, who 
was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, 
and who had intended to devote himself to the 
priest's office. May God give him grace, that 
he may win many of his brethren to Christ. 
May God also grant his blessing upon this 
communication. 

Rev. L. S. Jacoby's Experience. — I never 
belonged to those who doubt the existence of 
God; for the deep impressions made by the 
admonitions of my pious mother, were never 
entirely erased from my mind. I had the name 
of an evangelical Lutheran from Germany, (for 
so testified my certificate of baptism, at least ;) 
but I had no idea of true Christianity, although 
a New Testament, which had been presented 
to me, was my continual companion. Some 
time before my conversion, particularly in Cin- 
cinnati, (where I arrived in the beginning of 
November, 1839, a year after my arrival in 
America,) I frequently read in it ; but I often 
cast it from me, exclaiming, this cannot possi- 
bly be true. Every Sabbath day, I visited 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 167 

some church; I attended worship sometimes 
in German, and sometimes in English, for I 
understood the latter tolerably well ; but must 
confess that I usually went from church as I 
had gone there. 

Of a German Methodist church, I had never 
heard. One evening, however, a young man, 
to whom I gave instruction in English, asked 
me if I would not go with him to the German 
Methodist church, on Sabbath evening, as it 
was a real theatre — a place of much amuse- 
ment. At first, I had no especial desire to go; 
but the following Sabbath, a number of young 
persons came to my lodging, and urged me to 
go. Brother B., at that time a local preacher, 
made his first attempt to preach, on that even- 
ing. His text was, the parable of the prodi- 
gal son. I could find nothing to make sport of, 
excepting his singular expressions and pronun- 
ciation — he and I being from different parts of 
Germany, he had, of course, peculiar provin- 
cialisms. His preaching was, to me, a novelty, 
as I never had had an idea that a plain, unedu- 
cated man would attempt so great an underta- 
king. I would have been glad to have gone to 
pray er meeting on tbe following Thursday even- 
ing : I had an especial anxiety to go ; but 
could not find time, as I was then giving les- 
sons in the evening. The following Sabbath 
evening, I was one of the first in the church, 
and took my seat not far from the pulpit. 
Brother Nast preached from, " I am not asham- 
ed of the Gospel of Christ." Satan suggested 



168 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

to me that I should look right earnestly at him. 
to see if I could not make him laugh. I did 
so ; and instead of making him laugh, became 
myself an attentive hearer. Amongst other 
remarks, he made the following: "There may 
be a Saul among us, whom God will convert 
into a Paul," which struck me, and went to my 
heart. Hitherto, I had been immersed in the 
vices of the world ; but now I was brought to 
reflection. On the following Tuesday evening 
I went to class meeting. The union and love 
which I there found among the people, and the 
happiness which appeared impressed on every 
countenance, made me feel solitary and forsa- 
ken ; and I stood absorbed in reflection, until 
an aged sister asked me why I appeared so sor- 
rowful. I could find no peace nor comfort at 
home, and felt very unhappy wherever I was. 
On the following Thursday evening, I attended 
prayer meeting ; but my knees refused to bend, 
until one of the brethren prayed that God would 
grant that sinners might bend their stubborn 
knees before it should be too late. 

On Friday, I was invited to the house of our 
dear brother Nast : I soon obtained such confi- 
dence in him that I opened to him the whole 
state of my mind. He directed me to the Lamb 
of God that taketh away the sins of the world ; 
and, after he had given me a most kind exhor- 
tation, we bowed our knees together before a 
throne of grace, and he offered up a fervent 
prayer to God for me. After which I, for the 
first time, raised my voice in earnest prayer to 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 169 

God for the pardon of my sins, I then left 
brother Nast, with the firm resolution that 
henceforth I would forsake the world, and 
wholly devote myself to God. At home, I 
cast myself down to pray in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ ; but as I had pronounced 
this name, a voice within spoke to me, " Thou 
hypocrite, how canst thou pray in the name of 
Him on whom thou dost not believe?" but 1 
did not suffer myself to be disturbed. It soon, 
however, appeared to me as if the room was 
filled with people charging me with hypocrisy ; 
yet I continued, and from that moment I could 
pray with confidence in the name of Jesus, be- 
cause through his name alone we can be saved. 
I now commenced tearing myself loose from 
my former associates ; and, at the first oppor- 
tunity on Monday before Christmas, 1839, I 
joined the Church during love feast. As those 
were called to approach the altar who wished 
an interest in the prayers of the pious, I did 
not confer with flesh and blood, and for eight 
evenings went thither. Twelve days I sought 
the Lord earnestly ; I attended the watch-night. 
The new year was commenced with prayer, 
and the children of God sang the songs of 
Zion, and were filled with joy. I remained 
in prayer on my knees. I thought that my 
heart would break under the burden that lay 
upon me. I sighed for deliverance ; and, bles- 
sed be God, not in vain. The Lord visited 
me, and I was blessed with peace and joy in 
the Holy Ghost. I rose from my knees re- 
15 



170 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

joicing, and embraced heartily my, till then, 
almost unknown brethren, and joyfully declared 
that the Lord had delivered me. Never shall 
I forget that hour, neither here on earth, nor in 
heaven. The Lord Jesus showed his mercy 
to a great sinner, and his grace was the more 
magnified. I had a happy New-Year's day. 
In the afternoon, however, the former friend 
who first took me to the Methodist church 
came to see me : he mocked, and scoffed, and 
called me strange names. I sought to quiet 
him by giving him an account of my conver- 
sion ; but he only became the more abusive, 
and was actually about attempting to beat me. 
I thereupon said to him, quite composedly, " If 
you had treated me so before I was converted, 
I would have put you out of doors ; but now I 
will rather go myself." So I went away, sadly, 
and I understood he quit my house in a rage. 
This circumstance made me dejected, and in 
the evening I went anew to the mourners' bench. 
Brother Nast asked me, if I had not professed 
to have found the Savior? I told him I had, 
and related to him the reason of my mourning. 
He exhorted me to earnest prayer ; and soon I 
found the joy which I had experienced return 
to my heart. 

Now a new period in my life commenced. 
My delight in the things of this world had come 
to an end; and it was my greatest joy to be 
united with the children of God, Our dear 
father Schmucker, at the time alluded to, had 
charge of the society; and to him, as well as 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 171 

to brother Nast, under God, I owe many thanks, 
for the encouragement they gave me to go on 
in the service of the Lord. They took me by 
the hand, and led me as parents lead a child 
when it first attempts to walk. I ought to re- 
mark, that brother Nast, in my first visit to him, 
lent me Fletcher's Appeal. This book contri- 
buted much to convince me of my lost estate ; 
and after my conversion, it was of great advan- 
tage to me in my growth in grace. 

From the first moment of my conversion, I 
felt a great desire to communicate to my coun- 
trymen my own happiness, and the power of 
God, as exhibited in the Gospel. But I was 
yet weak myself. I therefore sought to strength- 
en myself by the word of God, and the read- 
ing of other religious books, but more espe- 
cially in the exercise of prayer. I can honestly 
say, that the first three months after my con- 
version were the happiest in my life. I did 
not leave my room, (which was in the upper 
story of the Methodist Book Room,) except to 
attend church. The Lord blessed me, and I 
grew in the knowledge of things divine. One 
evening, brother Schmucker took me into the 
pulpit to exhort after him. I knew but little 
of what he preached, for my whole frame trem- 
bled, and I could scarcely collect myself for 
prayer; yet when he closed, I arose in the 
name of the Lord, and words were given to 
speak to the congregation. I received license 
to exhort, and commenced my labors, trusting 
in the Lord. I especially visited the workmen 



172 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

on the canal \ but, alas ! saw but little fruit. 
Yet I confided in my Savior, whose Spirit mov- 
ed me to proclaim his holy Gospel. And I am 
convinced that the seed which, by the grace of 
God, I scattered in weakness at my appoint- 
ments, (of which I filled one nearly every Sab- 
bath,) has not remained entirely without fruit. 
In March, 1841, Bishop Morris sent forme, 
and asked me whether I was willing to go to 
St. Louis, Mo., as missionary. I confessed to 
him my spiritual weakness, my youth and inex- 
perience, and especially my limited knowledge 
of the holy word. He answered all my objec- 
tions, and encouraged me to commence in the 
name of the Lord, and to live close to him, and 
confide in his promises. I arrived at St. Louis 
in August, 1841, and the English brethren re- 
ceived myself and wife in the most friendly 
manner. I preached the first Sabbath after my 
arrival, in a small church rented of our Pres- 
byterian brethren. We continued to worship 
there until, by the help of God, we dedicated 
our own church. I had to contend with many 
temptations. I not only often bowed before 
the Lord on my knees, but also cast myself on 
my face in the very dust, and wept and prayed 
to my Savior. The Lord heard my anxious 
cries. Soon souls were converted to God, and 
a small society was formed. Since our last 
camp meeting, God has blessed me with an 
especial peace ; and my firm conviction is, that 
he will lead me the few remaining days of my 
life according to his will, and give me grace 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 173 

and strength to walk in his holy ways, and then 
at death I shall exchange this earthly pilgrimage 
for a heavenly rest. May God grant this, for 
his name and mercy's sake ! Amen. 

In conclusion, I will say, that the Lord has 
especially blessed us this year. Our society 
consists of one hundred and fourteen members.* 
Our Sunday school is in a good condition, and 
the day school which I commenced last Octo- 
ber is still increasing. Pray for your unworthy 
brother in Christ. 

Rev. H. Koenecke's Experience. — I was 
born in Germany, in the kingdom of Hanover, 
May 28, 1800. My father died in the prime 
of life, leaving my mother with five children, 
of which I was the oldest, being nine years of 
age, and my brother Charles, now German 
missionary in Illinois, was the youngest, being 
eleven months old. My mother was a widow 
twenty years, and endeavored to train us up in 
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The 
impressions that were made on my youthful 
mind, often followed me in my course of sin. 
In the year 1824, I was married; but at this 
time I was in a sad condition. I had given 
myself to drinking and gambling ; yet for the 
sake of making a living, I fully resolved, that 
as I had taken a wife, I would break off from 
all these vices. But, alas ! I had soon to learn 
that I was no longer master of myself, and that 

* This society would be much larger if it were not for the nu- 
merous removals of members, which is more or less the case in 
all our large cities ; but those who remove will exert a pious in- 
fluence in other places. -i ,- .^ 



174 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

these contracted habits held a control over me. 
What I now learned by experience, I could not 
previously have believed ; for it was a favorite 
maxim with me, that man was able to govern 
himself. With my strongest resolutions, how- 
ever, I was not able to resist sin. I often saw 
clearly that unless a change took place, I should 
not only plunge myself into an untimely grave, 
but leave my wife and children in a most sor- 
rowful condition. I did not like to think of 
death and eternity, for these thoughts usually 
disturbed my mind. In this vacillating condi- 
tion, sometimes having pious resolutions, and 
then, again, thoughtlessly transgressing, I spent 
ten years of my married life. During this 
time, my wife shed many a tear; but her prin- 
cipal comfort, probably, consisted in the reflec- 
tion, that most of the women in the place where 
we lived, were not any better off than she was. 
The village in which we lived, contained about 
twenty houses, and in it were twelve taverns ! 
all of which had a good run of custom. There 
was also a Lutheran church, in which there 
was worship every Sabbath morning, from 10 
to 12 o'clock. Many of the members, how- 
ever, would visit the taverns before going to 
church, and a majority of the remainder would 
take their dram at home ; so that I can most 
confidently aver that there w r as scarcely ever 
ten men in church who had not been drinking 
whisky. As soon as worship was over, all 
kinds of amusements were commenced in the 
tavern. The dancing-floor was cleared off, 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 175 

music struck up, and an invitation given to 
dance. The nine-pin alley and card- table were 
put in a state of readiness. Thus was Sabbath- 
breaking set in motion, which often continued 
till late in the night. Sometimes, however, 
their hilarity was interrupted by quarrelings, 
contentions, and blows. Many would go home 
with wounded and bruised heads ; and others, 
robbed of their senses, would stagger to their 
dwellings. 

From such a miserable life, God delivered 
me in 1834. In the night, between the 26th 
and 27th of December, I had been playing 
cards from 2 o'clock, P. M., until 12 o'clock 
at night, and lost considerable money. On my 
way home, the thought came into my mind, 
How wrong have I done ? All my money is 
spent, and in the morning I shall much need it. 
I have an industrious wife and five children at 
home, and yet I spend every thing in a wrong 
way. With this thought, it appeared as if 
God, from heaven, spoke to my heart, saying, 
"Also, against me hast thou sinned." While 
these thoughts were passing in my mind, I 
could not move a step. Many of my past sins 
were brought to remembrance, and my heart 
was so affected, that in the midnight hour, un- 
der the open canopy, I was constrained to cry 
aloud, while tears flowed from my eyes in 
greater quantities than they had ever done be- 
fore. How long this continued, I cannot tell. 
I finally went home with a heavy heart, and 
with a firm resolution to forsake my ungodly 



176 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

companions, and to regulate my life according 
to the word of God. I had, also, received so 
much light, as led me not to depend upon my 
own strength, but to pray to God, that he might 
aid me to put my good resolutions into practice. 
I now believed, in the honesty of my heart, 
that I ought not to express my feelings to any 
one in our village, notwithstanding I would 
gladly have done it, had I believed that I could 
find one among them that was like minded with 
myself. This brought me to think, that per- 
haps the people in T and B , of whose 

religion and piety so much was said, might be 
of the same mind as myself, and consequently, 
a desire was waked up within me to have some 
conversation with them. I had often heard 
that they severely condemned dancing, playing, 
drunkenness, and such like things. This indu- 
ced me to believe that I should agree with 
them. They lived twenty miles from my 
place of residence, and had been converted 
through the instrumentality of Moravian mis- 
sionaries. These missionaries, however, I at 
that time did not know, for they were called by 
different names, as mystics, pietists, &c. I 
now, for the first time, made known to my 

wife that I wished to visit the people in T -. 

She, however, was not satisfied with my pur- 
pose; and besides this, she had noticed, that in 
the few weeks past, I had been industriously 
reading the Bible, and she was afraid that I 
should bring as great a reproach upon her and 
myself as lay upon these people themselves. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 177 

This threw me into a state of painful anxiety ; 
and I secretly prayed to God, that he would 
teach me the right way ; and he so ordered it, 
that in about two or three weeks afterward, a 
man met me on the street, from whose dress* 
I judged came from that place. I spoke to 
him, and asked him whether he came from 

T or B ? " From B ," was the 

answer. I then said, " Please tell me what 
kind of people those are in your neighborhood, 
who have all manner of nick-names, and hold 
meetings out of the church?" "I am one of 
them," was the reply, while he looked very 
friendly at me. I was now, with an anxious 
heart, already much taken with him. He com- 
menced with an account of conversion, and the 
new birth, and of the lost condition of the na- 
tural man, &c. I then related to him how it 
had lately been with me ; upon which he said 
that God had awakened me, and that I should 
seek, through Jesus, for the pardon of my sins. 
He explained to me, as well as he could, the 
way of salvation, and exhorted me not to be 
ashamed of being a follower of Christ, but 
willingly to take up and bear the cross, and 
hunt up others, and meet together to read the 
Bible and pray together. He then left me, and 
I followed his advice. Often I engaged in 
prayer, with deep penitential feelings, but 
always in secret places. I wished to pray pub- 
licly in my family, yet a false shame kept me 
back. 

* In Germany, eaah district has some peculiarity in dress. 



178 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

At this period of my repentance, my wife 
noticed that I was really in earnest, and the 
people soon began to scoff at me. My wife 
then laid every thing in my way ; and when 
she found she could not accomplish her object, 
she commenced weeping and lamenting that I 
had exposed her to so much reproach. She 
had eleven brothers, and a large number of con- 
nections. For two evenings in succession, she 
was very much enraged. The third evening I 
had some fearful forebodings ; but I continued 
in prayer to God. On this evening I was in- 
deed put upon the severest trial that I had ever 
experienced in all my life. She urged me most 
earnestly to give up my religious course entire- 
ly, and told me that if I continued to live in 
this way she would leave me. After various 
threatenings, which I cannot describe, I finally 
asked myself, what shall I do ? the peace of 
my family will be certainly destroyed. I sprang 
up, not being able any longer to endure it. I 
got my Bible in order to read in it ; and as I 
opened it, I read in the superscription to the 
116th Psalm, "Comfort for the afflicted." 
Then, thought I, with a sorrowful heart and 
tears in mine eyes, this may be something for 
me. As I read the first verses, I felt as if the 
psalm had been written expressly for me. 
When I had read it through, I had such com- 
fort and such a strengthening of my faith, that 
I resolved, with renewed courage, to take up 
my cross, and concluded that the hand of the 
Almighty could change my situation. I there- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 179 

fore once more prayed to God with a stammer- 
ing voice. I read the psalm through again, 
and then retired to rest quietly, my wife hav- 
ing by this time gone to sleep. But I could 
not sleep the whole night through, being filled 
with hope and confidence in the almighty power 
of God. The next morning she would not 
speak to me. I, however, addressed her as 
follows : " Beloved wife, I have something to 
say to you. If I had seven wives opposing 
me; and if each of them were seven times 
worse than you are, it would be out of their 
power to turn me from my purpose; for in 
my temptation, God has strengthened me. 
Come and see this psalm." She would not, 
however, read herself; so I commenced, and 
she listened with patience. And from that hour 
I had, by the grace of God, the victory. My 
wife was changed, and never persecuted me 
again. Here I must confess that I was not yet 
converted ; but this was only a degree of pre- 
venting grace, which God granted me in my 
awakening ; for I well knew that I should have 
to experience a greater change. I had no assur- 
ance of God's favor, nor the pardon of my sins. 
Many a day I went from four to eight times in 
secret, fell upon my knees, and prayed to God, 
and often received some comfort; but still I 
lacked a living faith. Sometimes, however, I 
had the assurance that in case I should die in 
this penitent state, God, for Christ's sake, would 
have mercy on me, and take me to heaven. 
I now began to look around to see if I could 



180 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

not find some one to unite with me in seeking 
salvation. One Sabbath afternoon, I went into 
a house in which I knew there was a woman 
who was in the habit of reading her Bible. I 
met some others there. We continued meeting 
from time to time to read the Scriptures, and 
Arndt's Book of True Christianity, and also to 
pray with each other. In a few weeks our 
number increased, so that we had from ten to 
twelve at our meetings, among whom also was 
my wife. 

This was in May, 1834. It was not long un- 
til we were visited by the brethren from T 

and B . We commenced our meetings with 

singing and prayer. And how astonished we 
were to hear one of them offer up a powerful 
prayer from the heart ! Such a prayer I had 
never heard in all my life. I viewed this as 
the effect of divine grace, and resolved afresh 
fully to make a surrender of myself to God ; 
and I found, after persevering in prayer, the 
pardon of my sins in the blood of the Lamb. 
A living faith was begotten in my heart, and I 
felt that I could praise the God of my salva- 
tion. I now undertook to be the leader of this 
society. The number so increased, that in two 
years we had thirty persons. We were not 
only exposed to persecution from the world, 
but were so circumscribed in our privileges that 
we could not serve God according to the dic- 
tates of our conscience. This awakened in me 
a strong desire to go to America, as I had often 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 181 

heard much of the religious liberty enjoyed in 
this country. 

I, with my wife, and another family, agreed 
to start for America ; and we landed safely in 
Baltimore on the 11th January, 1836. We did 
not remain there long, but moved to Wheeling, 
Va. I was in high expectation of soon meet- 
ing some German American brethren; but, 
alas ! I found myself disappointed. I then 
visited the Lutheran Church, which had hith- 
erto been my Church ; but as I did not find 
much of the spirit of religion there, I began 
with the family above alluded to, and another 
family, to hold meetings again. Our number 
increased to twenty-five or thirty. Soon after- 
ward, however, most of them removed to Ma- 
rietta. Sometime after this, I heard that the 
Methodists were going to send out missionaries 
among the Germans, and that they were about 
publishing a German religious paper. This 
was in 1838. I had for sometime attended the 
English Methodist church in Wheeling, and 
after due reflection and examination, 1 was in- 
duced to write a letter to Rev. Wm. Nast, who 
was to be the editor of the paper, with a request 
that he would use his influence to have a mis- 
sionary sent to Wheeling. 

On the 24th of December, of the same year, 
brother John Swahlen came as an agent to 
Wheeling, to obtain subscribers for the Apolo- 
gist. We held a meeting the same evening, 
rejoiced together, and the next day we united 
with the Church on probation. Brother Swah- 
16 



182 ORIGIN *ND PROGRESS OF 

len was afterward sent to us as a missionary, 
and I was appointed class-leader and exhorter. 
God was with us during' the first year, and our 
society increased to eighty- three members. 

I was subsequently licensed to preach, and 
am now a missionary to the Germans. I am 
at present (March 23d, 1843) engaged in the 
Chester mission, Meigs county, Ohio confer- 
ence. To the glory of God I can say, that 
this mission is in a prosperous condition. 

Formerly these people were in the greatest 
ignorance of God. Violating the Sabbath, 
cursing, swearing and drunkenness, were their 
chief employment. Many families, notwith- 
standing they bore the name of Protestants, 
had not the Bible in their houses : the children 
had no school; and the outward ordinances of 
religion, such as the sacrament of the Lord's 
supper, &c, had not been attended to for six 
years. But now, many a house where cursing 
and swearing were once heard, has become a 
house of prayer. We have three Sabbath 
schools, which promise much good. Obedient 
hearts have been implanted in many rebellious 
children. Some of them have already been 
converted, and have made a full surrender of 
their hearts to God, of which their exemplary 
lives furnish the most abundant testimony. 

In this mission, we have now fifteen mem- 
bers who were formerly Roman Catholics. 
They rejoice together that they have been re- 
deemed from the darkness and superstitions of 
Popery. It is true, they are frequently severe- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 183 

ly attacked by the Romish priests ; but hitherto 
the priests have accomplished nothing : in fact, 
their efforts have only made the converts more 
firm and steadfast in the truth which they have 
espoused. 

The following well authenticated account of 
an attack on one of our new converts, will show 
the spirit of Roman priests. Should any per- 
son doubt its truth, the location and names can 
be given. * 

On the 24th of November, 1842, a Papist 

priest from S , twenty miles from A , 

came here, and desired to see those members 
who had gone from the Roman Catholic to the 
Methodist Church, and especially one brother 
by the name of M. W. At the request of the 
priest, this brother, with some others, went to 
the place appointed for worship. At the close 
of his ceremonial services, in which the half 
of the sacrament was administered to a few,* he 
addressed himself to brother W. as follows: 
the communications being made through an 
interpreter, as the priest was English, and 
brother W. could not understand the English 
language : 

"Priest. — Why did you leave the Catholic 
Church? 

" W. — Because I was no longer satisfied in it. 

" Pr. — You have mistaken the right way 
and fallen from the true faith. 

* It may not be improper here to remark that the Roman Cath- 
olics, in administering the sacrament, withhold the cup from the 
communicant, and only distribute the bread ; the priest drinks 
the wine himself. 



184 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ic W. — You cannot make me believe this, 
notwithstanding you are a learned man. You 
cannot rob me of that which I have experien- 
ced in my heart." 

Here the priest invited W. to sit with him 
on the bench : he had a Bible, published by the 
American Bible Society, in his hand: as he 
opened to several passages, he told him to read. 

" jy % — is thi s Bible correct? 

"Pr. — Yes: there is, however, a slight dif- 
ference between some verses in it and the Cath- 
olic Bible, but the sense is the same." 

W. turning himself to the other Catholics 
present, said, " Either you or your priest has 
told an untruth : for last Sabbath, as you return- 
ed from his church, at A , you told me that 

the priest had declared that our Bible was false, 
and on that account, especially, all Methodists 
would be lost." 

All present were now silent, and cast an eye 
at the double-tongued priest. 

"Pr. — Read this passage, in John xx, 23. 

" TV. — You will excuse me for refusing to 
engage with you in a dispute on the word of 
God; for you, as a priest, well know that a 
common Catholic is not allowed to read the 
Scriptures; moreover, it is but a short time 
since I commenced reading the Bible. 

" Pr. — That is a lie : every Catholic may 
read the Bible ; " and turning to those present, 
asked if this was not true ? They, however, 
bore a negative testimony, This brought him 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 185 

into great embarrassment. He then read, 
" Whose sins ye forgive," &c. 

" TV. — But can you, also, forgive sins ? 

" Pr. — No, I cannot; this Jesus Christ alone 
can do;" and with an air of importance, he 
inquired, " Will you not become a Catholic 
again?" 

" W. — No, never ; and I have thanked my 
God thousands of times that I have been deliv- 
ered from darkness, and have come to the clear 
light of the Gospel. 

" Pr. — In the Methodist Church any country 
farmer can be a preacher. 

" W. — But they preach to us the pure word 
of God, and have been the means of bringing 
me to a knowledge of Jesus Christ, my only 
mediator and high priest ; while you have the 
Pope for your head, whom, perhaps, you have 
never seen. I can now do without the Pope ; 
and I believe that, according to the word of 
God, I am now a true Catholic, if the word 
catholic means true faith." 

On saying this, the priest turned to some of 
the converts, and asked if he should erase their 
names from his book ? to which they respond- 
ed with a hearty " Yes." The priest then told 
them that they would now go to hell. 

On the previous evening, this priest was in 
a Catholic house, where the owner's wife had 
joined us. After some fruitless attempts to 
persuade her to return to the Catholic Church, 
he advised the husband to take a hickory club, 
and give her a good pounding ; and then sell 
16* 



186 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

his land and move from the neighborhood : he 
would tell him where he could find other good 
land, <fec. He also told the husband to burn 
his wife's hymn book. 

This man, though yet unenlightened, saw 
that the spirit which induced the priest to give 
such advice, could not be the Spirit of God, 
and, consequently, did not follow it. The 
effect of the whole was, that on the following 
Sabbath evening, I had the privilege of preach- 
ing in a Catholic house, and had a number of 
Catholic hearers. The priest had better spare 
himself the pains of making another effort of 
this kind ; for our sheep do not know his voice ; 
and many who yet remain Catholics are no 
longer completely in the dark, but have heard 
many of the wholesome truths of the Gospel. 
May God cause their prejudices entirely to van- 
ish, so that they may speedily find Jesus, the 
only mediator between God and man, and that 
they may believe that he made a sufficient 
atonement for the sins of the world, and that 
consequently, the offerings of the mass and 
prayers to the saints, are nothing but idolatry ! 
O, may they all come to Him who is the only 
refuge from the dreadful storm which will final- 
ly fall upon the ungodly ! 

Sometime after this, a Romish priest came 
from Cincinnati : he also did his best to win 
back converts ; but all was in vain. In the 
spirit of a true Jesuit, he condemned all the 
Methodists ; and said that the circulation of the 
Bible was the work of the devil. The effect 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. ] 87 

of his visit was only to unite those he sought 
to lead off, more closely to us. 

Shortly after this, three more persons joined 
us ; and they now rejoice in their freedom from 
the Romish yoke. 

We have very good prospects on the Chester 
mission. It is hard to persuade the Germans 
that they must be converted. They have many 
prejudices against us ; but when they are once 
convinced of the truth, and make a commence- 
ment, we may confidently calculate on their 
perseverance. This mission now consists of 
ninety-two members, and all of them have so 
far remained steadfast, save one that we had 
to expel. 

In conclusion, I would express my gratitude 
to God that I ever became acquainted with the 
Methodist Church, and that this Church has 
cared for the Germans of this country ; for they 
are mostly like sheep going astray without a 
shepherd. May God continue to prosper our 
German Zion ! I feel much encouraged to go 
on in the work of the Lord. My ardent prayer 
is, that his blessing may crown our feeble 
efforts, and that he may bring many thousands 
more to see their lost condition, and to seek the 
salvation of their souls. 

Experience of Rev. Jos. E. Freygang. — 
This experience is extracted from his "Life, 
Experience, and Views," published in the 
Christian Apologist. Brother Freygang was 
formerly a Roman Catholic priest: 

My observations in the Roman Catholic 



188 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Church, even from my youth, and the thought 
that I might perish myself, whilst trying to 
produce a reformation within the Church, indu- 
ced me, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, 
earnestly to secure the salvation of my own 
soul. By reading and meditating upon the word 
of God, I found that the Roman Catholic Church 
does not point souls to that way which the holy 
Scriptures designate as the only one that can 
bring salvation. Besides, I had proofs upon 
proofs that the perverse and vicious lives of the 
bishops, priests, and nuns, were not the acci- 
dental and occasional aberrations of individuals, 
but had their foundation in the false and cor- 
rupt principles of the Church. I became more 
and more convinced that it would be impossible 
to remain pure among the impure ; and I felt 
it necessary that a total change of myself and 
my relation to the world should take place, if 
I would avoid falling, with the blind leaders of 
the blind, into the bottomless pit of destruction, 
from which there is no redemption. I exclaim- 
ed, "Lord, what shall I do that I may be 
saved?" Human doctrines, traditions and in- 
ventions, had darkened to me the pure light of 
truth, so that I had lost the way to the cross, 
and my life had become one continued gloom. 
About that time, the Rev. Dr. Thomson and 
Rev. Thomas Dunn, ministers of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, came to see me. I was 
rejoiced at the visit of these learned and pious 
men, and conversed with them, not only re- 
specting my situation and circumstances, but 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 189 

also on the subject of experimental religion. 
Their piety and exemplary lives had inspired 
me with great confidence, and they poured balm 
in the wounds of my souL My attention was 
now directed to Methodism, of which I had 
previously known little or nothing. I attended 
their meetings, and found the sermons, to which 
I listened very attentively, fully agreeing with 
the word of God. Many a sleepless night I 
spent during that period, meditating upon the 
pure and unadulterated word of God; and I 
came to the full resolution, not to rest until I 
found the Lord in the remission of my sins. 
The members of the Roman Catholic family 
with whom I boarded, became angry at my 
going so often to the Methodist church. Often 
when I returned home, I found my papers and 
books searched through. Soon after this, I re- 
signed my charge as priest of St. Peter's church. 
At this the Catholics became enraged; and the 
trustees, in order to revenge themselves, pub- 
lished the next week in the newspaper, that I 
was dismissed by them. I could not labor 
without distraction of mind for the salvation of 
my soul. I joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and had no more to do with the Cath- 
olics. The persecution then became great. 
The German Catholics met daily to consult 
how they could save the honor of the Catholic 
Church, etc. They resolved to calumniate in 
every possible way. I was also personally, in 
open day-light, insulted as I passed through the 
streets. All my former friends had become 



190 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

my bitter enemies. But I felt that the more I 
was hated on account of my seeking that peace 
which the world cannot give, the more I was 
loved by my heavenly Friend. I felt a confi- 
dence in remembering, that he counts the hairs 
of our head, and careth for us; and I could 
cheerfully sing: 

"Though troubles assail, and dangers affright; 
Though friends should all fail, and foes all unite ; 
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, 
The promise assures us, the Lord will provide." 

The meetings which I attended contributed 
to increase my faith more and more. One Sab- 
bath, after I returned from Church, I shut my- 
self up in my closet, and fell on my knees, for 
the purpose of supplicating a throne of grace, 
until the Savior would speak peace to my soul ; 
and in that hour, halleluiah ! praised be his 
name ! pardoning mercy was poured upon my 
burning soul like a refreshing brook. I was 
now sure of the remission of my sins, and felt 
my Savior in my heart. 

What I formerly loved, I despise now ; and 
what I formerly despised, I embrace with double, 
ardent love. I feel no condemnation for past 
sins, for the atoning blood of the Lamb has 
washed my soul from the stain that sin made. 
Halleluiah to Him that has mercy ! I feel no 
condemnation in my breast ; for I have not re- 
ceived the spirit of bondage unto fear, but the 
Spirit of adoption, by which I cry in my heart, 
Abba, Father! Halleluiah to Him that has 
mercy ! With a heart overflowing with grati- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 191 

tude to God, I can take up the expressive lan- 
guage of the poet: 

" Thee will I love, my strength, my tower ; 
Thee will I love, my joy, my crown ; 
Thee will I love with all my power, 
In all thy works, and thee alone : 
Thee will I love, till the pure fire 
Fill my whole soul with chaste desire. 

Ah ! why did I so late thee know, 
Thee, lovelier than the sons of men ! 

Ah ! why did I no sooner go 
To thee, the only ease in pain ! 

Ashamed I sigh, and only mourn, 

That I so late to thee did turn." 

Mrs. Jacoby's Experience. — I am too deep- 
ly indebted to grace, and to the long suffering 
and kindness of my Savior, in bearing with me 
while I was a sinner, to refuse to confess what 
he has done for me, especially if such a confes- 
sion can in any degree promote the interests of 
his cause. 

I must first remark that we were enlightened 
Catholics; that is, we did not attend to all that 
unnecessary round of service which many of 
the ignorant engage in. 

My second brother, Joseph, who had been 
sent to a school kept by a pious and converted 
Lutheran, became converted himself, and was 
afterward sent to a theological school, to pre- 
pare himself for a missionary. 

My oldest brother, who had started several 
years before me to America, solicited me 
strongly to visit him ; and as two of my broth- 
ers had gone, I concluded to follow them. 



4 



192 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

On the 10th of March, 1839, we left our 
parents' house, and on the 27th of May arrived 
safely in Cincinnati. My oldest brother came, 
rejoicing, to the steamboat, and took me to his 
house. Scarcely had the first salutations pass- 
ed, till he said to me, " But, Amelia, I am a 
Methodist!" I knew not, as yet, what a 
Methodist was, but the thought struck me, that 
the term indicated something similar to what 
my second brother had become. I felt dissa- 
tisfied, and blamed him that he did not suffer 
me to remain at home. I felt very much griev- 
ed, especially on account of my aged parents, 
as I knew they would be much afflicted to hear 
that my oldest brother had also fallen from the 
faith. Of course my resolution was to remain 
steadfast, and not to suffer myself to be persua- 
ded to follow his example. 

The first Sabbath after my arrival, my 
brother took me in the morning to a female 
neighbor, to accompany me to the Catholic 
church ; and in the evening, I went with him 
to the Methodist church. Brother Schmucker 
preached from John iii, 5 : " Except a man be 
born again," &c. ; and such a sermon I had 
never heard. I was deeply affected, and the 
fear came upon me that I might die that night, 
and yet be unprepared for death. Although the 
impression made by this sermon was so deep 
on my mind, I was soon, by worldly persons, 
drawn into the pleasures of the world. I also 
heard so many strange stories about the Meth- 
odists, and their art in deceiving people, that 1 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 193 

became very much afraid of their class and 
prayer meetings. A short time after this, I 
attended a camp meeting, at which I was 
brought deeply to feel the corruptions of my 
unrenewed heart. On Sabbath day such a de- 
gree of fear came upon me, that on seeing one 
of my worldly friends, I requested him, if he 
did not wish me to be one among the most un- 
fortunate of creatures, to take me from the 
place as soon as possible. He immediately 
procured a carriage, and took me away ; and I 
really felt myself quite fortunate when I saw 
Cincinnati again. From that time, my mind 
could not rest; and as my brother daily and 
earnestly exhorted me, I commenced examining 
his system of religion for myself. And I hon- 
estly confess that the efficient preaching, as well 
as the true and genuine spirit of charity, which 
I found among the Methodists, led me to the 
conclusion that they came far nearer the Chris- 
tian standard than the professors of my former 
acquaintance. A dreadful fear, however, came 
upon me when I reflected that I might fall from 
the faith in which I had been raised. The 
priest said to me, when I left my home, that if 
ever I became restless or dissatisfied, I should 
select a priest in whom I could put confidence, 
and should open my mind to him, and he would 
soon convince me again, how good it was to be 
in the Roman Catholic Church, and how nu- 
merous were the means of grace she offered to 
poor sinners. I resolved, therefore, one Sab- 
bath morning to go to confession. By this 
17 



194 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

means, I hoped to have my mind quieted again. 
I commenced with the usual form of confession 
I had been accustomed to in Germany, and 
intended, after absolution, to speak more fully 
of my uneasiness in reference to matters of 
faith ; but scarcely had my confession ended, 
before the priest put the most shameless ques- 
tions to me. This so provoked me, that I ask- 
ed him if he was destitute of sense and discre- 
tion. He began to excuse himself by saying, 
it was his duty to ask such questions! I re- 
plied, that I believed the asking of such ques- 
tions was not his duty. He then inquired if 
I had eaten meat on Friday. I answered in 
the affirmative. He then asked if I did not 
know that I had committed a sin ? I replied, 
that the New Testament informs us we are to 
receive the gifts of God with thanksgiving. 
He then remarked that this was a command of 
the Church. I said the Church commands and 
prohibits many things that do not agree with 
the word of God. He then proceeded to ask 
me where I came from ? and if the people of 
the place were all Catholics ? I replied that 
about half of the inhabitants were Catholics, 
and the other half Lutherans. He said he did 
not believe that I was a Catholic. I informed 
him that my parents were Catholics, and that 
I had always been sent to a Catholic school, 
and had regularly attended the Catholic church ; 
but I did not believe that I was so simple a 
Catholic as some. He then declared that he 
would not give me absolution. I told him I 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 195 

wished to go to sacrament that day, and that if 
he would not give me absolution, I would go to 
some other German church, as there were sev- 
eral in the city. At this, he stated that I might 
go to the sacrament, if I would promise to 
attend confession for three Sundays in succes- 
sion. I objected to make such a promise, and 
added, I only went to confession when I felt 
the need of it, and had no intention of making 
a business of it. He then gave me absolution, 
and I went into the church filled with anger, 
and received the sacrament. I wept the whole 
of the afternoon, in consequence of having, in 
such an unchristian state of mind, approached 
the table of the Lord. I prayed to my heav- 
enly Father that he would forgive me this great 
sin. I found some peace for my conscience, 
however, in the reflection that the priest was 
more to blame than myself. From this time 
forward, I did not enjoy much satisfaction in 
going to the Catholic church ; and, to confess 
the truth, I went more out of respect for my 
parents, than on any other account. 

As my brother expected to be married soon, 
I found it necessary to seek a home for myself. 
In the month of August, I went to live with 
brother Nast. My intention was to make my- 
self acquainted with the English language, and 
then return to my parents in Germany. I was 
very well pleased with my situation. I there 
enjoyed that quiet which it is always desirable 
to find in the domestic circle. I could not, 
however, bear so much of their praying ; and 



196 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

although I invariably knelt down with them, 
I did not engage in the exercises at all, during 
the first part of my stay, but sought, as much 
as possible, to scatter my thoughts. I felt a 
peculiar attachment to their child ; and it was a 
great grief to me when, in the dispensation of 
God's providence, it was taken away. I was 
somewhat astonished that brother and sister 
Nast bore their loss with so much composure, 
and regarded it as indifference in them, as I 
was not aware at this time, that a Christian 
could, under such circumstances, resign him- 
self to the will of God. Although I was con- 
sidered a member of this Protestant family, 
yet I observed all the holy days of the Catholic 
Church. On Ail Saints' Day, (November 2,) I 
went to the church, and heard language from 
the lips of the priest that provoked me so ex- 
ceedingly, that I did not attend the German 
Catholic church again until Easter; going, 
however, in the mean time to the English. 
The priest said, " Who among you, has not a 
father or a mother, brother or sister, husband 
or wife, or perhaps some other relation or ac- 
quaintance in purgatory? and should you not 
be willing to offer gifts for the ransom of their 
souls?" 

The exhortations of my brother, and of 
brother and sister Nast, I had hitherto disre- 
garded, notwithstanding their constantly re- 
minding me of my unconverted state. In con- 
sequence of these appeals, I spent, during this 
winter, many a sorrowful hour; and often pray- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 197 

ed in secret that the Lord would teach me the 
way of salvation. At the watch-night I was 
so deeply awakened, under the preaching of 
brother Kisling, that when an invitation was 
given to the penitents to go to the altar of 
prayer, I went forward, and earnestly implored 
God to pardon my sins. The following night, 
an English sister, who had come on a visit to 
brother Nast's, prayed with me till 2 o'clock, 
A. M., and I thought that I enjoyed more rest in 
my mind than I had previously, and that I was 
nearer to God. The following night, however, 
I dreamed that my mother met me, and that I 
ran toward her, when she heartily embraced 
me in her arms, and said, " Have, then, all 
my children become Methodists ?" " O ! no !" 
I answered, "I am not yet a Methodist, but 
soon would have been." 

From this time, I began again, through world- 
ly amusements, to shake off my impressions ; 
yet invariably on my return home, I felt that I 
had done wrong. One of my friends lived ad- 
joining the river. I went to his house one 
Sabbath afternoon, sometime in the month of 
June. I found a number of young people as- 
sembled there, and it was proposed that we 
should go over the river into Kentucky. We 
accordingly went ; and after we had taken some 
refreshments, we started back. One of the 
young men in the second skiff tried to make 
sport by running theirs against ours. We came 
very near being drowned. As soon as we land- 
ed on the Ohio side, I stated to a friend, that 
17* 



198 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

this should be the last time that I would ever 
take a pleasure trip across the Ohio River on 
the Sabbath day. I left them immediately, 
notwithstanding they scoffed and laughed at 
me. This circumstance awakened me again 
to reflection : it brought back to my mind the 
wonderful deliverance God wrought out for me 
on my journey from Baltimore to Little York, 
when the cars, going over a cow, left the tracks, 
and would have thrown us over an abyss, if the 
chain had not happily broken. 

From this time I sought the Savior earnestly. 
I went more regularly to church, and became, 
according to the wish of father Schmucker, a 
teacher in the Sabbath school. I also visited 
the classes from time to time, and often felt a 
desire to join; but the fear of man still kept 
me back. With gratitude I must acknowledge, 
that all the members of the Church treated me 
with the greatest love : father Schmucker, espe- 
cially, exhorted and encouraged me with great 
gentleness and patience. On the 12th of Au- 
gust, camp meeting commenced. I felt no de- 
sire to go, and therefore remained alone at home. 
The following Sabbath I was sorely tempted. 
I thought I had so long sought, what the Meth- 
odists professed to have found, and had not yet 
experienced it, I had better try the Catholic 
Church again. I got my prayer book, and was 
on my way to the church ; but I had scarcely 
gone a few squares when reflection arrested 
me, and I asked myself, if I was still a Roman 
Catholic in faith ? All the errors and corrup- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 199 

tions of Popery were presented to my mind, 
and I had to confess that I could no longer be- 
lieve what that Church taught, as it was against 
the word of God. I returned home imme- 
diately, locked myself up, and began earnestly 
to pray that the Lord would show me the right 
way, and give me a desire to go to camp meet- 
ing, if it was my duty to go. I also opened 
my Testament to get advice, and the first pas- 
sage that met my eyes, was the text from which 
I nrsft heard brother Schmucker preach. This, 
of course, was decisive. I firmly resolved 
to go to camp meeting, and there earnestly seek 
the Lord, under the prayers of the brethren. 
Our milk-man, with whom I was acquainted, 
happened just then to be going that way, as 
he lived near the camp-ground, and he took me. 
He was a backslider, and on the way, he en- 
deavored to convince me of the necessity of 
conversion. He told me how sorry he was 
that he had got back so far, but that he was de- 
termined to seek the Lord again, and to give 
up his business. My resolution was now 
strong, not to return to the city until I had the 
assurance that the Lord had forgiven my sins, 
and adopted me as his child. On Sabbath even- 
ing, Monday, and Tuesday, I went to the 
mourners' bench; but self-righteousness still 
reigned in my heart. On Wednesday morning 
the camp meeting was to break up ; and as I 
arose on Tuesday night from the mourners' 
bench, the thought struck me, how wretched I 
should be, if I had to return home as I came. 



200 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

I therefore fell again on my knees, and entreat- 
ed God to show me my sins fully. It then ap- 
peared as if a book was opened, in which all 
my sins were written. A terrible load fell upon 
my conscience. I began to cry aloud for mer- 
cy. Brother Schmucker prayed earnestly with 
me, and pointed me to the crucified Redeemer. 
I looked up to Calvary, and my Savior smiled 
at me. The intolerable burden fell ofT, and 
tears of joy ran down my cheeks. With what 
feelings of gratitude and love I embraced my 
sisters and brethren now, I cannot describe. 
My heart was full of joy, and I joined the 
Methodist Church the same evening. The fol- 
lowing morning I went to the table of the Lord, 
and he blessed me with such a fullness as my 
weak body could not bear. 

O ye poor, blinded Romanists ! if you knew 
how good it is to confess your sins to the Lord, 
to be absolved by him, and by him alone, and 
then to partake of his supper after his own in- 
stitution, you would soon give up your dead 
ceremonies and seek the living Fountain. 

From this moment I served my Savior — that 
Savior who purchased me so dearly. The rage 
and mockings of my former companions ex- 
cited only my pity, and when I saw that they 
would not be convinced, I withdrew from them 
as much as possible. 

Not long after this, I married brother Jacoby, 
with the determination to sacrifice my weak 
powers in the service of the Lord. We were 
sent to St. Louis. I there deeply felt the want 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 201 

of class meeting. My daily prayer to God 
was, " Give us soon a German class." The 
Lord heard our prayers. Souls were convert- 
ed, and the Lord gave us blessed seasons of 
refreshment. My prayer also was, and still is 
for my yet unconverted parents, brothers and 
sister. I see the hand of God in their coming 
to this country, and I hope he will convert 
them all. May he keep me faithful unto death, 
and help me to approach him nearer and nearer ! 

Brother Xaver Lunemari's Experience.-— 
With a joyful heart I confess the great things 
that the Lord has done for me and my house. 
Glory, praise and thanksgiving be to God, now 
and for ever ! 

I received my religious instruction in a Ro- 
man Catholic school in Germany. I heard, 
even there, that a man must be born again, in 
order to enter the kingdom of God. But I was 
taught that the new birth consisted in baptism, 
and that conversion was the confession of sins 
to the priest, and the promise of amendment; 
and further, that by taking the holy sacrament 
I should be finally saved. 

I was in an agreeable situation in my native 
country, and there was no need for my emigra- 
tion; but suddenly the thought of going to 
America struck my mind. I am fully satisfied 
now, that I was led here by the invisible hand 
of that God who had saved me three times from 
evident danger of losing my natural life, and 
who has recently put me in possession of the 
highest good. 



202 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

About two years ago I heard that there was 
an infidel preacher in our city, (St. Louis,) by 
the name of Jacoby. Curiosity induced me 
to go and hear him ; but to my great astonish- 
ment, I found he preached the Gospel more 
plainly and forcibly than I had ever before heard 
it in all my life. From that time I went regu- 
larly to his church. I also attended camp meet- 
ing and love feasts, and began to pray with my 
family ; but I still refused to kneel down in the 
church, and confess myself a sinner before the 
world: self-righteousness, pride, and the fear 
of the world, had the mastery. 

On the evening of the 16th of April, I at- 
tended a prayer meeting in brother Jacoby's 
house, and prayed earnestly on my knees to 
my Savior, that he would forgive my sins. 
In that hour I heard him say, " Arise, my son ; 
thy sins are all forgiven: sin no more !" The 
last words, "sin no more" are deeply engra- 
ven on my heart. I shall not forget them as 
long as I live. As for me and my house, we 
are firmly resolved to serve God, according to 
his holy will, until our latest breath. 

I now experience that kind of peace which 
our Savior gave to his disciples. Surely the 
world, with all its pomp, wealth, and pleasure, 
cannot give such peace. How transitory and 
empty is all that the world bestows ! But to 
have peace with God, and to walk in his ways, 
makes even this earth a paradise, and is, more- 
over, the sure pledge of perfect and everlasting 
bliss beyond the grave. 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 203 

My only prayer is, that God may grant me 
at all times his divine strength and grace, so 
that I may preserve this heavenly peace in my 
heart; and that I may endure all the storms of 
life, and patiently bear and finally overcome 
the hardest temptations and persecutions. 

From my own experience I can say, that it 
is not hard for a truly converted man to go 
through the severest trials, upheld by the power 
of God. how joyful do I feel, when I look 
up to my Savior, knowing that I am reconciled 
to my God ! — that he is my leader and protector 
in all my ways, and that not a hair falls from 
my head without his will. The Lord is my 
shepherd. I have no want. I am determined 
to watch, and pray, and fight, until my life's 
end, and then I shall surely receive a crown of 
life. 

Brother J. Hauctts Experience. — I was 
brought up in the Roman Catholic Church. 
My mother was pious, according to the light 
and information she had. She early taught us 
to pray, and prayed herself, every evening a 
rosary to the five wounds, the Litany of the 
Virgin Mary,* from thirty to forty Pater Nos- 

* As many Protestants do not know what is meant by the Lit- 
anies of the Catholic Church, we will insert one to the Virgin 
Mary. It shows the superstition of the Koman Catholic Church : 

" We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God 1 despise not 
our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all our dan- 
gers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin! 

Lord ! have mercy on us. 

Christ ! have mercy on us. 

Lord ! have mercy on us. 

Christ! hear us: Christ! graciously hear us. 

God the Father of heaven ! Have mercy on us. 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world ! Have mercy on us. 



204 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ters, and Ave Maria to the honor of the saints, 
and for the poor souls in purgatory. 

From a child, I had an inquiring mind, and 
was always fond of reading books of various 
kinds. In a visit to a Protestant neighbor, I 
took up his Bible and commenced reading. 
Among the first things I got my eyes upon was 
a description of the character and qualifications 
of a bishop, as given by St. Paul. I was much 
interested in this book, got the loan of it, took 
it home, and read it through. I was then 
brought to reflection, and concluded if the Bible 
was right, our Church was wrong. I was now 
thrown into some embarrassment, as my eyes 

God the Holy Ghost ! Have mercy on us. 

Holy Trinity, one God ! Have mercy on us. 

Holy Mary ! ") 

Holy Mother of God ! 

Holy virgin of virgins ! 

Mother of Christ ! 

Mother of Divine grace ! 

Mother most pure ! 

Mother most chaste ! 

Mother undefiled! 

Mother un violated ! 

Mother most amiable ! 

Mother most admirable ! 

Mother of our Creator ! 

Mother of our Redeemer ! 

Virgin most prudent ! } ^ 

Virgin most venerable ! 

Virgin most renowned ! 

Virgin most powerful ! 

Virgin most merciful ! 

Virgin most faithful ! 

Mirror of justice ! 

Seat of wisdom ! 

Cause of our joy ! 

Spiritual vessel ! 

Vessel of honor! 

Vessel of singular devotion ! 

Mystical rose ! 

Tower of David ! 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 205 

were but partially opened. I continued to read 
the Bible about a year, and finally thought it 
might be wrong, as it was a Protestant Bible. 
The owner wishing to have it again, I return- 
ed it. 

I now commenced reading historical works. 
As religious books were scarce with us, of 
course, I had but little access to them. I finally 
went to B. to get some religious books. I 
there obtained the loan of a Catholic Bible, 
which consisted of fourteen volumes. I read 
it entirely through. This Bible was full of 
notes and explanations, in favor of the Roman 
Catholic religion. I was now again confirmed 
in my Catholicism. I had been fond of amuse- 

Tower of ivory ! 

House of gold ! 

Ark of the covenant ! 

Gate of heaven ! 

Morning star ! 

Health of the weak ! 

Refuge of sinners ! 

Comforter of the afflicted ! 

Help of Christians ! ^S 

Queen of angels ! 3 

Queen of patriarchs ! 

Queen of prophets ! 

Queen of apostles ! 

Queen of martyrs ! 

Queen of confessors ! 

Queen of virgins ! 

Queen of all saints ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world ! Spare 
us, O Lord ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world! Gra- 
ciously hear us, Lord ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world ! Have 
mercy on us I 

Christ! hear us. Christ! graciously hear us. 

Lord ! have mercy on us. Christ ! have mercy onus. Lord! 
have mercy on us. 

V. Pray for us, holy Mother of God ! 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ." 

18 



206 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ment ; and I frequented those places in which 
worldly-minded men seek for happiness. After 
having read this Bible, and meditated much on 
my future state, I became more retiring in my 
disposition, and had a wish to be associated 
with pious people. 

One day I was permitted to see a letter from 
America, which had been sent to the pastor. 
In it I read of the liberties which were enjoyed 
by the people. This awakened in me a desire 
to go to America. 

At this time I was leading, according to the 
rules of our Church, a strict life. I kept my- 
self from all outbreaking sins ; and finally got 
so far that I thought I had nothing more to con- 
fess but the follies of my youth. On doing 
this, the priest told me I could now do all 
through the instrumentality of alms-giving. I 
consequently kept a constant supply of change 
in my pocket so as to embrace every possible 
opportunity of giving something away, for I 
believed that by this means my time in purga- 
tory would be shortened. 

After I had resolved to go to America, I gave 
away a great part of my goods ; as I was afraid 
that I might die on my way, and might go to 
purgatory without having given sufficient alms. 
In going to America, we had a very prosperous 
voyage. We had, however, a very provoking, 
contrary friend on board, who, notwithstanding 
all my Catholic piety, made me swear much 
during the voyage. Much as I had paid, and 
was still willing to pay, in order to free my 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 207 

soul from purgatory, I was not afraid to swear 
profanely ! 

On the 12th of June, 1841, I landed at New 
Orleans, with my wife and one child. Here I 
was, a stranger — a stranger among strangers, 
and knew not what direction to take. My 
wife and child sat down on the bank of the 
river; and after we had had some consultation, 
we concluded to start for Cincinnati. We arri- 
ved there on the 27th of June, 1841. I now 
laid my plans to accumulate wealth, but in con- 
sequence of family affliction, they were thwart- 
ed. I was still a constant attendant at church, 
and went regularly to confession, and did all in 
my power to aid in building the new German 
church. In the performance of ail this, how- 
ever, I had no peace of mind. My conscience 
was disquieted. 

I heard that the Methodists were also build- 
ing a German church in Cincinnati. I went 
one evening to see it, a friend going along with 
me. When we arrived at the spot, the hands 
were at work, and the preacher was among 
them. My friend pointed him out to me. I 
felt some anxiety to know what these German 
Methodists would yet come to. 

One day a Methodist, by the name of L. 
R., came into my house, and seeing the Ger- 
man Catholic paper, entitled, " The Friend of 
Truth," laying on the shelf, he asked me if 
I also read that misnomer; for he declared it 
was the friend of lies. This affronted me ; for 
I thought every thing published in the Catholic 



208 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

paper was true. Before leaving me, he asked 
if I had a Bible. I told him I had a Catholic 
Testament. This individual repeated his visits 
to my house, and related to me his own expe- 
rience. He stated that he himself had been a 
Roman Catholic. This produced a powerful 
impression on my mind. I commenced going 
to the Methodist meetings, and became awa- 
kened. I attended mass every morning, and 
at night went to the Methodist prayer meet- 
ing. I became convinced that I must be con- 
verted ; but thought I could be converted and 
remain in the Roman Catholic Church. My 
wife now became dissatisfied, and wished to 
return to Germany. I told her that we would 
pray earnestly to God that he would open our 
eyes, and teach us the right way of salvation. 
One day a young woman, named Mary, be- 
longing to the German Methodist Church, vis- 
ited my wife, and talked to her about the sal- 
vation of her soul, and prayed with her. This 
made a deep impression on her mind. Mary's 
prayer, pious conversation, and zeal for the sal- 
vation of souls, together with her )^outh, so 
affected my wife, that her mind became much 
changed. At night, when I went home, she 
told me what had passed. I asked her if she 
now began to believe that the Methodists were 
right ? She said she did. We wept together, 
knelt down, and tried to pray ; but I could not 
pray from the heart. I felt that I was a lost 
sinner. I called on God to help me, and found 
some liberty in my prayer. I continued half 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 209 

the night on my knees, under great excitement 
and fear. 

One night, soon afterward, my wife obtained 
peace while at prayer, and then exclaimed, 
" Now I know what it is to have the pardon of 
sins." She could then pray from the heart, 
and could praise God with tears of joy. She 
said to me, " See that you follow my example." 
I went on, however, in my distress for some 
months. It appeared as if I could not fully 
give myself up to be saved by grace. The 
principal difficulty was, that, in my prayers, I 
always called upon the saints, and the Virgin 
Mary too, and expected help from them. One 
Sabbath, when I went to the church, hungry 
for the word of life, the priest took up nearly 
all the time in talking about money matters, 
selling lots, &c. Although I had but a few 
days previously rented my pew in the new 
church, I resolved to attend the Methodist 
meetings more regularly ; and soon afterward 
I joined the society. 

I heard of a quarterly meeting at Lawrence- 
burg, and attended it. I there found a degree 
of peace to my soul, but was not fully satisfied 
with the evidence of my acceptance with God. 
I continued to use the means of grace ; and 
one day, during our protracted meeting in Cin- 
cinnati, in the winter of 1843, while praying 
with the mourners, I felt such joy as I had 
never felt before. All my doubts were gone. 
I seemed to be loosed from the world. Jesus 
18* 



210 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

was my high priest, and I was reconciled to 
God through him. 

But now a spirit of persecution began to 
manifest itself. Those who had been my 
warmest friends became my bitterest enemies. 
One day I went to the house of an old friend, 
and soon had a crowd around me. Some told 
me I was too bad for hell or the devil ; and 
even my old friend told me that I must get out 
of his house. I felt calm, putting my trust in 
God. It made me happy to be counted worthy 
to suffer reproach for his name's sake. To 
enumerate all my persecutions, and all the 
threatenings of my enemies, and all their at- 
tempts to get me into their power for the pur- 
pose of abusing me, would be tedious. 

I thank God, that in some instances he has 
given me the victory over my foes. On one 
occasion I went into a house, and the inmates 
soon told me I had fallen from the faith. I 
asked them for a Bible, but they had none. I 
then told them my experience, and left them 
all in tears. Before leaving, some of them con- 
fessed if what I said was true, I was far from 
falling from the faith. On another occasion, 
an old man of seventy years told me, it would 
be no wonder if he should stab me for having 
joined such people as the Methodists. His old 
lady also stated, that it would not be strange if 
children on the street should cast mud at me. 
I let them rage on till they were done, and then 
related my experience to them. They both 
became calm, and before I left them were in 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 211 

tears. The old man came to me the next day, 
and confessed his astonishment that I did not 
get angry at him, and appeared quite changed 
toward me. I know, indeed, that I have incur- 
red the displeasure of my former friends ; for 
wherever I go, I am exposed to their scorn and 
ridicule. One of my neighbors, whose pew 
was near mine in the German Catholic church, 
spat in my face soon after I had left them, for 
having, as he said, disgraced the holy Catholic 
Church. I thank God that 1 have been ena- 
bled to bear all my persecutions with patience, 
and I believe that he will give me grace to re- 
main steadfast unto the end. 

Since my conversion I have visited many of 
the Catholics. My sphere of operations has 
not, indeed, been confined to Cincinnati. Be- 
ing employed by the American Tract Society 
to distribute tracts and books among the desti- 
tute, I have gone through a considerable part 
of the state of Indiana. It is impossible for 
any one to conceive of the superstitious attach- 
ment of the people to the priesthood, unless he 
has witnessed it himself. They will give near- 
ly every thing they can raise by hard labor, for 
the support of the priests. I hope and pray 
to God that many more of them may be brought 
to a saving knowledge of the truth. 

I have good reason to believe that numbers 
of my countrymen will yet renounce their su- 
perstitions, and come to the light of the Gos- 
pel. Since I have been engaged as tract dis- 
tributor, I have seen much to encourage me. 



212 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

One day, in going to visit a family, I was told, 
before I got there, not to go into the house, for 
the head of the family was a very bad man, 
and might only abuse me. I stated to my in- 
formant that I would go if the devil himself 
was there, and would talk with him, if he could 
speak German. I went in, and prayed with 
the man ; also gave him Baxter's Call, and left 
him in tears. On another occasion I visited a 
Catholic family, and prayed with them. The 
head of the family prayed every word after 
me. I believe he is sincere, and does the best 
he can, according to the light he has. 

I am willing to follow the openings of Prov- 
idence, and give myself wholly to God and 
the Church. My highest aim is, to be an hum- 
ble instrument in doing something for the good 
of my fellow men, and the promotion of the 
cause of religion. No earthly remuneration 
could induce me to leave my family in order to 
engage as tract distributor. Blessed be God, 
I feel happy in the change I have experienced, 
and have an anxiety that all the world should 
come to a saving knowledge of the truth. 

Christian Brokmeir's Experience. — I came 
to America on the 20th of July, 1839. During 
my travels through the eastern cities, I heard 
occasionally of the Methodists ; but as they 
were all English I did not attend any of their 
meetings. I was born and brought up a Ro- 
man Catholic; and, of course, was strongly 
prejudiced in favor of the religion of my ances- 
tors. When I came to Wheeling, Va., I met 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 213 

an old acquaintance, with whom I came over 
the ocean. According to the custom of my 
country, I thought I would treat him with 
something to drink, and brought him a pint of 
whisky, but he would not touch it. I did not 
know at that time that he was a Methodist. I 
then wished him to play for me ; but he refus- 
ed, and said it was not for the glory of God to 
play, as we had been in the habit of doing. 
He then exhorted me to repentance, and took 
me to some of his Methodist brethren. I was 
very fond of talking about worldly matters, and 
did not like to hear them converse so much 
about religion. They were, however, very 
kind to me. I was, by trade, a tailor, and my 
friend got work for me. It so happened, that 
the family for whom I worked were pious. I 
went with them to church ; and soon after we 
had entered, they commenced singing, 
" How tedious and tasteless the hours," &c. 
Their singing was very good, and struck me 
very forcibly. From their appearance, I thought 
they certainly must be good people. I was 
much astonished, however, to see no crucifixes 
in the church, as I had always been accustom- 
ed to see them there in the old country. Every 
thing appeared strange to me. After singing, 
brother Swahlen, their preacher, commenced 
praying. One woman appeared to be deeply 
affected under the prayer. I could not tell 
what it meant, and therefore kept peeping un- 
der my arm, to see what was going on. After 
prayer, brother Swahlen began his sermon. 



214 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

He observed that we must repent, and that no 
one could obtain pardon without repentance. 
He also remarked that the Pope could not par- 
don sins. I at first got offended at him ; but 
he continued earnestly to offer the Savior to 
lost sinners, and said if our sins were red as 
blood, Christ could make them white as snow. 
I became deeply affected, and felt a strange 
sensation running all through me. My heart 
was now very tender, notwithstanding I had 
been angry at the commencement. Subse- 
quently I attended prayer meeting ; and com- 
menced searching the Scriptures. I soon saw 
that I must be converted. I was, also, blessed 
with the privilege of reading the Christian 
Apologist. This helped me very much. My 
heart was heavy, and I was sorely tempted by 
the enemy. Sometimes I feared if I left the 
Roman Catholic Church, I should be guilty of 
perjury, as I had an idea that I was sworn to 
abide in that Church. The brethren told me 
to pray over the matter, and God would make 
my way plain before me. I was three weeks 
in a deep mental conflict. I had no rest all 
this time. 

I went back to the Roman Catholic church, 
and thought I would seek religion there ; and 
strange as it first appeared to see a church 
without pictures and images, it now appeared 
still more strange to see them in the church. 
I thought too on the solemn command, "Thou 
shalt not make unto thee any graven image," 
&c. During mass, I prayed earnestly to God 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 215 

that he would teach me the right way ; and in 
the midst of the service, while we were kneel- 
ing, I looked at the altar, and thought all was 
not right. Christ had once heen offered for the 
sins of the world ; and yet the Catholics, in 
the mass, profess to offer him again, and say 
that the bread and wine are changed into his 
real body and blood. While some gazed at 
the altar, I turned my face to the wall, and con- 
tinued praying to God, all the while having the 
impression that I ought to go amongst praying 
people. On the same day, it was published 
there would be German preaching at night. I 
went again, and the priest stated that all who 
were not Roman Catholics would not be saved, 
and loudly condemned Luther, Calvin, and the 
other reformers ; adding, that they had all gone 
to hell. After meeting, some of them asked 
me if I did not now believe that the Roman 
Catholic was the only true Church. I replied 
that I began to see and feel that I must read the 
Bible for myself; and from that time I contin- 
ued faithfully to peruse and believe it. 

On the following Sabbath I took a walk, and 
was very much struck with finding none of 
the praying people in the taverns. This con- 
vinced me still more that there was a reality in 
religion. I got among some wicked people, 
and they offered me something to drink. I 
refused, however, to take it ; because, in a ser- 
mon, I had heard brother Swahlen declare, that 
with one glass of whisky a man might quench 
the operations of the Spirit of God. 



216 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

I was now ashamed to go to the Methodist 
church again, as I had become so deeply affect- 
ed when I was there before, and then had gone 
back to the Catholic Church again. However, 
when my friend went, one Sabbath evening, I 
followed. As I went, I looked at the moon 
and stars, and was deeply impressed with the 
power and omnipresence of God, and the 
thoughts of eternity. While I was several 
hundred yards from the church, I heard the 
preacher's voice. I thought I would go near, 
and keep myself concealed. I went behind 
the house, looked in at the window, and heard 
every word the preacher said. His words 
came with power to my heart, and I again felt 
that if I did not sincerely repent, I should be 
lost for ever. After preaching, brother S. in- 
vited the mourners, and several went forward, 
much affected. They commenced praying, and 
every time they said amen at the close of a 
prayer, I started and ran, thinking the meeting 
was out, and fearing that they, in retiring, would 
see me. When meeting terminated I hurried 
home, so as to get there before my friend, in 
order that he might not suspect me. My heart, 
however, was deeply affected ; and on the fol- 
lowing Thursday evening, I took courage and 
went to the prayer meeting, and told the Meth- 
odists I was now willing to go with them. 

About four weeks after this, I heard of a two 
days' meeting on the Monroe mission, about 
twenty miles from Wheeling. I left my work 
when the time arrived, and went with a deter- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 217 

mination not to return until I was converted. 
The meeting was protracted, and the brethren 
prayed with me every night for nearly one 
week. They were much engaged. Some of 
t^em had come seven and eight miles to meet- 
ing. In the day-time I went into the woods 
and prayed, and at night the brethren prayed 
for me at the altar. Through the whole week 
I could scarcely eat or sleep. On Sabbath af- 
ternoon, brother Koenecke preached a power- 
ful sermon. I commenced praying as soon as 
he was done ; many prayed with me, and I 
continued until I obtained peace to my soul. 
I, however, still felt doubts occasionally arising 
in my heart. On the following Wednesday 
evening, I attended prayer meeting again, when 
all my doubts and fears left me. I shall never 
forget that time. I could say, " The Lord hath 
done great things for me, whereof I am glad." 
I then went joyfully on my way back to Wheel- 
ing. All things were new to me. My heart 
was filled with joy, and I was anxious to tell 
my brethren in Wheeling what the Lord had 
done for me. The words of the apostle came 
forcibly to my mind, "Our conversation is in 
heaven," &c. I felt that my soul was lifted 
up to God, in heavenly meditation. 

I now daily thank my Maker that he has led 
me from the darkness of Popery — the spiritual 
Babel, and from the slough of sin and iniquity. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and forget not all 
his benefits to all eternity ! Amen. 
19 



218 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Brother Leger Ritty's Experience.—! was 
brought up by Roman Catholic parents. They 
instructed me from a child, in the doctrines and 
usages of the Church to which they belonged, 
and I consequently became a firm believer in 
the tenets and ceremonies of what I then be- 
lieved to be the only true Church in the world. 
From childhood I frequently had serious 
thoughts in reference to the salvation of my 
soul, bat more especially when I was about 
nine years of age. I was deeply awakened, 
and brought to see the danger I was exposed 
to as a sinner. The thoughts of losing my 
soul were indescribably awful to me. About 
this time my parents died, and I was left an 
orphan. Having in these, the early years of 
my life, such serious impressions on my mind, 
I was often induced, as well as I knew how, 
to call upon God, that he would have mercy on 
me and forgive my sins, and save me from eter- 
nal death. Thus my juvenile years passed 
away, with much mental anxiety in reference 
to the future. 

According to the laws and customs of my 
country, at a proper age I entered the army, 
and became a soldier. This was in the year 
1819. I continued in the army eight years. 
Here I was introduced into a class of society 
who neither fear God nor regard his command- 
ments; but on the contrary, give themselves 
up to all manner of wickedness. In this situ- 
ation, those good impressions that had been 
made upon my mind in early life gradually left 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 219 

me, until I, with my fellow soldiers, had given 
myself up to the vices of the day, and become 
a miserable drunkard. 

In the year 1828 I emigrated to America, in 
order to seek a home in the new world ; but 
unfortunately for me, I brought with me those 
habits of intemperance which I had contracted 
in the army. As some of my associates came 
with me, we commenced, as soon as we landed 
in Philadelphia, our course of drunkenness and 
revelry anew. I was naturally of a very strong 
and robust constitution, and, consequently, could 
endure much exposure to wet and cold ; and 
could, also, drink much without being seriously 
injured by it. One of my associates, who had 
a feeble constitution, fell, in his attempts to fol- 
low me in my course of dissipation, a victim 
to his crimes, and ended his days in wretched- 
ness ; finding, not long after his arrival in Amer- 
ica, a drunkard's grave. 

This, however, did not check me. I re- 
mained a whole year in Philadelphia, continu- 
ing my course of drunkenness. Although I 
had thus given myself up to crime, and was 
bringing destruction upon myself, I was not 
left to go on without some monitions of con- 
science. I knew and felt that I was doing 
wrong ; but as I had been taught to believe that 
in purgatory I should have to make up for my 
delinquencies in this life, of course its refining 
fires were my only ground of hope, and my 
only consolation in reference to the future. 
My convictions for sin, however, increased, 



220 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

and my health failed. I wished to reform and 
be delivered from my iniquities, but knew not 
how to commence. I had never read the Bible, 
and did not know how to obtain deliverance 
from my bondage. My passions had the con- 
trol over me, and I appeared to be hurried with 
the rapidity of a torrent in my career of mis- 
ery, not having power to restrain myself. 

On my health failing, I removed to Pitts- 
burg with a view of improving it. Here I 
laid sick for three years. After having tried 
every remedy prescribed by my physician, 
he gave me up as a hopeless case, and told 
my wife to give me what I wanted to eat and 
drink, while I did live, as I could not possibly 
live long. 

In this condition the Spirit of God affected 
my heart, and I saw myself in a light in which 
I had never seen myself before — a great sinner 
in the sight of God, on the brink of eternity, 
without any preparation to meet my final Judge. 
T remained, however, so confirmed in the doc- 
trines of the Roman Catholic Church, that I 
thought the reading of a great many masses for 
me might deliver me from my sins, and afford 
relief to my troubled mind. But as the priest 
in Pittsburg charged me fifty cents for each 
mass he read for me, and as I was reduced to 
poverty by my drunkenness and protracted 
sickness, I could not raise the money to pay 
him for the number of masses I thought neces- 
sary. I had, however, in the meantime, a good 
opportunity to send to Germany to have mass 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 221 

read for me there ; and as I could get it done 
much cheaper there, I of course readily em- 
braced the opportunity. I wished to make my 
little means go as far as possible, and therefore 
sent on two different sums, the first time thirty 
francs, and the second time fourteen. The 
franc is a French coin, worth about twenty 
cents of our money. For this amount I got 
forty-four masses read, being more than twice 
as many as I could have had in Pittsburg for 
the same amount. I had also learned the pray- 
ers of the Church, and frequently said them 
over. But all this had not the desired effect. 
I found that the priest could not deliver me 
from my burden of guilt. I finally became so 
deeply awakened and sensible of my lost con- 
dition, that I sometimes feared the earth would 
open and receive me, with my load of sins 
upon me. 

I now left off praying to the saints, and com- 
menced praying from my heart to God, that he 
would have mercy upon me, and forgive my 
sins. During my three years' sickness, I was 
three months in this awakened condition. When 
my distress of mind became almost intolerable, 
I resolved to get a Bible, and see if I could not 
find something in it to comfort me. I conse- 
quently went to the priest, and told him that I 
must have a Bible, as I could live no longer in 
this way. He, however, refused to let me 
have one. I offered him $10 for a copy, but 
still he refused ; and then, poor though I was, 
I offered him $20 ; but he told me I could not 
19* 



222 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

have one on any terms, stating that the Bible 
was not for the common people. I replied to 
him, that I must have a Bible, and that if he 
would not let me have a copy, I would go to the 
Protestants for one. He appeared angry at 
me, opened the door, and drove me out of the 
house ; telling me to go to church every Sab- 
bath, and he would preach the Gospel to me. 
I wanted to relate to him the sorrows of my 
heart, and tell him how bad I felt ; but he would 
not hear me. 

After I had left the priest, I had my fears 
that if I obtained a Protestant Bible, it might 
not be genuine ; as I, from a child, had been 
made to believe that the Protestant Bible was 
an heretical book, and that it only deceived those 
who read it. I, however, finally concluded 
that my condition could not be made any worse 
by its perusal, and resolved to embrace the first 
opportunity to get one. God, in the order of 
his providence, soon caused me to succeed in 
my effort, which was in the following manner. 
One morning, as I was walking out, I met a 
woman with a Bible in her hand, which she 
had obtained from the American Bible Society. 
I asked her if she would sell it, to which she 
replied that she would. I then asked if it con- 
tained the whole of the word of God — the Old 
and New Testament 1 She said it was all per- 
fect, excepting that Martin Luther's name had 
been torn out of the title-page: her husband 
would not suffer a book to be in his house with 
Luther's name in it. I did not object to it on 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 223 

that account; for we had been taught to be- 
lieve that Luther was an arch heretic — that 
he had deceived a great number of people, and 
was now chained in the bottom of hell for his 
wickedness. In fact, I was rather glad that his 
name had been torn out. After I had obtained 
the Bible, I went to seek for Christians among 
the German Protestants ; thinking that all Pro- 
testants, who had the Bible, were good people. 
But in this I was much mistaken. I found that 
many of them cursed and swore as much as 
any of the Roman Catholic Germans, with 
whom I had previously been associated. 

In 1833 I removed to Cincinnati, hoping to 
find some one who could comfort me ; but no 
sooner had I landed, than I was met by some 
of my old Roman Catholic associates, and the 
first thing they offered me was a bottle of whis- 
ky. I refused to drink. This made them an- 
gry, and they called me a Methodist. At this 
time I had not become acquainted with the 
Methodists, as it was before they had establish- 
ed missions among the Germans. About this 
period, Mr. H. came to Cincinnati, and profes- 
sed to be a preacher sent of God to teach the 
right way of salvation. I went to hear him 
for some time, but soon found he was not the 
man he professed to be, and, therefore, forsook 
him. I, however, continued to read my Bible 
by day and by night ; and went from house to 
house, among the Catholics, telling them that 
we all had been wrong, and that we must 
change our manner of living, or we should all 



224 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

be lost. About five weeks after I came to the 
city, I was one day talking with a family on 
the subject of religion, and as I left the house, 
I felt the burden of my sins roll away; and, 
like the man that had been healed by Peter and 
John, I could leap for joy and praise God for 
his goodness and mercy to me. Thus, without 
a friend to instruct me in the path of salvation, 
God led me in a way I had not known, and 
delivered my feet from the horrible pit and the 
miry clay, and established my goings. I went 
from house to house, praising God, and telling 
what he had done for my soul. Some drove 
me out of their houses, and abused me much ; 
yet this did not discourage me. I was exceed- 
ingly glad that I had been delivered from my 
superstition ; for I had been brought up to be- 
lieve that ours was the oldest, and, consequent- 
ly, the only true Church in the world ; and so 
strong were my prejudices, that I used to burn 
and destroy all the religious tracts that were 
given to me. But now, blessed be God, I felt 
that a great change had passed upon me. My 
blind eyes were opened, and I found the great- 
est delight in reading the holy Scriptures. 

About three weeks after I found peace, I was 
impressed that it was my duty more publicly 
and extensively to labor in the Lord's vineyard. 
But I replied, "Lord, send another. I am not 
learned. I cannot instruct my fellow men." 
I disobeyed what I believed to be a call from 
God, and soon lost my peace of mind, which 
was followed by the most awful fears and pain- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 225 

fill forebodings of the future. I finally remov- 
ed to the country, hoping to find some comfort 
for my soul in a more retired life ; but, instead 
of this, I only felt worse. I could neither eat, 
drink, nor sleep, with any satisfaction. I felt 
that I was lost, and that by my disobedience I 
had placed myself beyond the reach of God's 
mercy. I retained, however, a great anxiety 
for the salvation of my family ; for I thought 
if I went to destruction myself, I should be 
very sorry to have my family ruined with me. 
My distress of mind finally became so great, 
that I took to drinking again, in order to drown 
my sorrow. In the lapse of time, however, 
my mind became more calm : those tormenting 
fears, in a degree, left me ; and I again felt that 
I could take some interest in the cause of relig- 
ion; and could rejoice in witnessing the pros- 
perity of Zion. I had, by this time, joined 
the Methodist Episcopal Church ; and, although 
I was in a good degree free from deep com- 
punctions of soul, yet I had no peace in my 
heart. I made known my situation to a 
friend, a Methodist pieacher, and asked his ad- 
vice. He told me to go forward and do my 
duty. I immediately went to the house of a 
neighbor who was not religious, and commen- 
ced exhorting him to seek the salvation of his 
soul. From this time I began to feel better. 
That peace of mind which 1 had lost, returned, 
as I went on in the work of exhorting people, 
from house to house, to seek salvation. 

Soon after this, I received a call from the 



226 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

officers of the Tract Society, to engage in the 
distribution of tracts among the Germans. I 
agreed to undertake it three months, in order 
to make a trial ; and then, if no good appeared 
to be done, I would give it up, and have noth- 
ing for my time. Accordingly, I commenced, 
and soon found that God gave me access to the 
hearts of my countrymen. Many became deep- 
ly affected, when I talked to them on the sub- 
ject of religion, at their houses, and appeared 
to receive the tracts and books with glad hearts. 
These tokens for good, induced me to continue 
in this work. I have already seen some of my 
Catholic countrymen forsake their superstitions 
and seek salvation by faith in Christ. Many 
have received the Bible, and it is to be hoped 
that the fruits of these labors will be seen in 
days to come. 

In conclusion, I would say to my English 
brethren, pray that God, in great mercy, may 
open the blind eyes of my countrymen, and 
bring them to a saving knowledge of the truth. 
I feel myself happy in the great change I have 
experienced. While I was in my former state, 
I was a poor miserable drunkard, and spent 
nearly all I made by my intemperance; my 
family often being left to suffer. But as soon 
as I sought God, and became sober, I had 
enough to make my family comfortable. I 
would, therefore, exhort all who are living as I 
lived, to turn to the Lord and seek salvation, 
and secure to themselves peace on earth and 
an everlasting inheritance in heaven. For god- 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 227 

liness has the promise of the life that now is 
and of that which is to come. 

Mr. George Bottenstebi* s Experience. — 
This experience was sent in a letter to a pri- 
vate friend, and afterward published in the 
Christian Apologist. The editor introduces it 
with the following explanatory remarks : 

"Brother R. was, a short time ago, editor of 
a political paper in Philadelphia, and I exchan- 
ged with him, as with all other German editors. 
And although I did not receive his paper for a 
while, I continued to send him the Apologist, 
in hopes that it might be i bread cast upon the 
waters, which will be seen after many days.' 
But the Lord did far more than my faint hope 
anticipated. He made it soon one of the means 
by which this stranger was aroused to turn his 
attention to religion. He left the tumultuous 
political theatre as a seeker of the kingdom of 
God, and was happily converted in a great revi- 
val of our Church, at Charlotte Court-House, 
Va., in which, he says, he was the hundredth 
convert. No sooner did he experience the 
love of Christ in his heart, than this love con- 
strained him to tell his large circle of friends, 
through the columns of the Apologist, what 
the Lord had done for his soul. He is now a 
teacher at Randolph Macon College. May 
the Lord bless the warm appeal of our young 
brother, to the conviction of many of his coun- 
trymen ! And will our brethren in the eastern 
cities, where there are thousands of unconvert- 
ed Germans, by this witness from among them- 



228 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

selves, not be convinced of the importance and 
necessity of patronizing our German mission 
paper? We had not one subscriber in the 
city of Philadelphia, when we sent the Apolo- 
gist as exchange for a political paper, and now 
we have but three copies circulating in that 
great city ! Let me, in conclusion, remark, 
that brother R. is not a solitary instance of con- 
version from Roman Catholic superstition, or 
infidelity. In every class, in our missions, we 
hear some converts from Roman Catholicism, 
and some former Rationalists, testify that Christ 
has power on earth to forgive sin. At our late 
camp meeting, not less than eight Roman Cath- 
olics threw away their idolatrous beads, crosses, 
and charms, and learnt to worship God in spirit 
and in truth. And though it is but a few weeks 
since conference, we can say that the Lord has 
revived his work here, at Marietta, and Wheel- 
ing. Four persons have been converted here, 
one of whom was only one week from Ger- 
many ; eighteen joined at Marietta; and fifteen 
at Wheeling ; of whom the greater part obtained 
the remission of their sins. We have reason 
to say to the friends of our German missions, 
and to the patrons of the Christian Apologist, 
that their prayers for the Germans are heard in 
heaven, and their benevolence produces fruit 
unto eternal life. May they never cease to re- 
member us, until among the German immigrants, 
victory is turning on the side of the Lord ! " 

To my friend D., — My intention in send- 
ing you this open letter, is to call, not only 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 229 

your attention, but that of my many very dear 
friends, who are scattered through the United 
States, to their religious condition, which, in 
the nature of things, deserves their deepest 
reflection. 

Brought up in the Romish Church, you 
know, that I have rejected, long ago, her idola- 
trous practices ; that I could not believe the 
dogma, that all who live out of her pale, are 
lost ; that the priests have the power and right, 
not only to remit, but even to retain sins. You 
know that it appeared ridiculous to me, when 
a priest, like a juggler, pretended to change 
the wafer into the true body and true blood of 
Christ, by the recital of a few Latin words. 
You know that I despised the frauds, which 
were practiced with images, in order to get 
money out of the pockets of a credulous popu- 
lace. You know that it was lothsome to me, 
to hear the Pope proclaimed as the Vicar of 
God, and that I never believed his pretended 
infallibility. 

But you know, also, that I pitied all other 
professors of religion, as weak-minded, mis- 
guided persons, and thought man could not fail 
of future happiness, if he only performed the 
moral duties toward his neighbor. But one 
reason of my despising the Romish Church 
and her pomp, with which she blinds the eyes 
of the credulous, as well as of my indifference 
toward the Protestant community, was this, 
that I could not find that influence of religion 
upon the social and civil life, which must be 
20 



230 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

considered as the test of true Christianity. In 
our fatherland, where religion depends upon, 
and is paid by, the state, and where we were 
not permitted to worship God according to our 
own conscience, the heart took no part in the 
divine service ; all our religious exercises were 
cold, "like lava gathered at the foot of foreign 
volcanoes." The sum of our religious instruc- 
tion was, "Fear God, and love the king!" 
You know, moreover, how many hypocritical 
and immoral ministers of the Gospel we met, 
who could not impart to us any reverence for 
the doctrines they taught. With such views 
of religion we came to America, the land of 
religious and political liberty. 

In accordance with my religious feelings, I 
heard, at New York and Philadelphia, the dis- 
courses of the so called Rationalists ; but I felt, 
that this too could have no favorable influence 
upon the morality of the citizens ; think, for 
instance, only of that famous funeral address, 
at the grave of a German. I left the grave 
with the conviction, that "reason" cannot an- 
swer "that question which so often obtrudes 
itself on the worldling in his calmer hours, but 
from which he turns away again and again, 
until, on the last sick-bed of this life, it becomes 
the yell of vengeance for his squandered days, 
For what am I born?" I once heard the 
preacher of the Rationalistic society exclaim, 
" There is no God ! " To be sure, he was 
intoxicated at the time ; but we know that an 
intoxicated man tells all that is in his heart. It 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 231 

was about that time, that I became more inter- 
ested in religion, by reading the Christian 
Apologist and Fletcher's Works. But I re- 
member well, how angry I often became, when 
I read so much about the total depravity of my 
heart. I tried in vain to comfort myself with 
the thought, that there are worse men than 
myself in the world. I moved, then, to Vir- 
ginia, where I saw, at last, the practical influ- 
ence of religion ; where I discovered plainly 
the difference between professors of religion 
and unbelievers. I met with men who love 
their neighbor, who are afraid to tell the least 
untruth, who live in brotherly concord, and 
find all their happiness in the name of Jesus. 
I now became convinced that I must become a 
Christian, in order to become a good man. I 
read Wesley's sermon on Ephesians ii, 8, " By 
grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not 
of yourselves : it is the gift of God." I read 
this sermon over and over. I doubted, yet felt 
inclined to believe it, because I saw men happy 
in this belief. I consulted with some preach- 
ers ; they all said to me, " Read the Bible, and 
pray ! " But this answer did not satisfy me ; 
yet I thought, if it is "the gift of God" I 
may pray to him, should my mind be ever so 
unfit and unprepared for it : and praise, glory, 
and thanksgiving be to the Lord ! he heard my 
prayer, all my doubts are gone. I feel, for the 
first time, that I am a Christian! 

The 17th of this month, I heard of a great 
revival at Charlotte Court-House. I went there 



232 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

from a conviction that I should place myself 
within the reach of the means of conversion. 
The first sermon which I heard affected me in 
such a manner, that the tears burst from my 
eyes. I saw the penitents hastening in crowds 
to the altar. I heard their confessions, and 
could hardly refrain myself from following 
them. I asked the minister, if it was necessary 
to go to the altar: if it was not rather against 
Matthew vi, 5. He told me the outward form 
was not essential, but that a true penitent felt 
willing to humble himself. I read at home, 
Luke xviii, 11-13, in order to excuse my pride 
and false shame ; but upon reflection I was com- 
pelled to confess to myself, that the open pro- 
fessions of the Pharisees procured for them 
worldly honors, while the publican cared for 
nothing but the salvation of his soul. I saw, 
that, unless I threw away all pride, I could not 
become a partaker of the grace of Christ. 

Sabbath, the 20th of this month, I entered, 
tremblingly, the house of God, knelt down, 
and reviewed my whole past life. I felt, for 
the first time, through how many dangers my 
Maker had protected me, how thankful I ought 
to have been, and how criminally I had spent 
my time. The greatest obstacle which I had 
to overcome, was the hatred which I felt in my 
heart against the aristocrats of Europe. I 
thought of my brother, who had perished in 
the fortresses of Prussia. I thought of my 
second brother, who still suffers in an Austrian 
prison. I thought of my oppressed native 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 233 

country. I could not find peace, and returned 
from the church without comfort. After I got 
home, I read the New Testament, and prayed 
the Lord's prayer. When I came to the peti- 
tion, " Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
those that trespass against us," I remembered 
Jesus on the cross, and heard his dying voice, 
" Lord, forgive them !" A sudden flash of light 
burst into my soul. In a moment I could em- 
brace all my enemies ; and feeling that the mir- 
aculous work of regeneration, by the Holy 
Ghost, was wrought in my heart, I exclaimed, 
" Glory to God in the highest, and peace on 
earth!" 

My dear bosom friend, with anxiety I entreat 
you, "Learn to know thyself!" You believe 
in a God, a future world, and its rewards. If 
there are future rewards, there must be also fu- 
ture punishments : if the reward is eternal bliss 
in heaven, the loss of this eternal bliss must be 
eternal misery in hell. Is it not then of the 
highest importance to know in what way we 
can obtain the great reward? You say, " Ful- 
fill your moral duties." But, my friend, look 
within and inquire, how much wrong you have 
done ; and examine the motives of your good 
works, and you will shudder. Answer me but 
one question : Would the laws of the country 
not condemn a person who stole, though he 
may not be a murderer ; nay, though he may 
have saved many lives ? Can your giving alms 
to somebody justify you for slandering another? 
You cannot be saved but by the grace of our 
20* 



234 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

Lord Jesus Christ. Do not think it foolish- 
ness; you cannot know what we receive by 
believing in the pardoning mercy of God, ex- 
cept you have been thoroughly convicted of 
sin. I therefore repeat my entreaties, take the 
first step, learn to know thyself, and you will 
assuredly meet Jesus full of grace and truth. 
He died for all — for thee — and opened a way 
of salvation by his precious blood. Hoping to 
hear from you soon, I remain your friend. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

OTTERBEIN AND OTHER METHODISTIC 
GERMANS. 

Among the Germans who immigrated to the 
United States during the former part of the 
eighteenth century, there were several men of 
great excellency. After the Methodists had 
become numerous, they were more or less con- 
nected with them ; if not in Church organiza- 
tion, they were in Church fellowship, labors 
and spirit. Had they become organized as a 
German part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
much more good would have resulted from their 
labors. The following account of them was 
published in the Methodist Magazine, Vol. VI, 
pp. 22, 249, and re-published in Bangs' Histo- 
ry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 
II, pp. 365-376. It was furnished at the re- 
quest of Bishop Asbury, sometime before his 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 235 

death, by his friend, F. Hollings worth, who 
transcribed the Bishop's Journal, and prepared 
it for the press : 

"Jacob Boehm, the great-grandfather of one 
of the distinguished subjects of the following 
notices, was of a respectable family in Swit- 
zerland ; and, as is presumed, a member of the 
German Presbyterian Church. His son Jacob 
was put to a trade ; and after faithfully serving 
out his time, he, according to the custom of his 
country, set out upon his three years' travels. 
In his wanderings through Germany he fell in 
with the Pietists ; a people in their faith, dis- 
cipline, and worship, resembling, in a good de- 
gree, the Methodists, but more closely the socie- 
ties and congregations formed by William Ot- 
terbein and Martin Boehm. Upon our traveler's 
return to the parental roof, he talked in a style 
that neither his father nor the parson could 
comprehend ; they were natural men, and un- 
derstood not the things of God. His evangel- 
ical conversation, mingled, most probably, with 
reproof of the vices and pharisaism of the day, 
brought, by necessary consequence, persecu- 
tion upon him ; and he was sent, guarded by 
an elder brother, to prison. He escaped, how- 
ever, from his confinement, and sought a refuge 
in Germany, where he remained, having set- 
tled near the Rhine, He shortly after attached 
himself to the Menonists, became an honored 
elder in that Church, and, we trust, died in the 
Lord. His son Jacob, the third, was also a 
member in the Menonist Church. He gave an 



236 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

example of sobriety, temperance, and industry 
to his children and neighborhood before and 
after his immigration to Pennsylvania, in 1716 
or '17; and was honored in both countries. 
As a professor of religion he lived up to the 
light he had ; but it was under the ministry of 
his better instructed son, Martin Boehm, that 
he was blest with superior illumination. He 
died in peace at the family plantation, on Peca- 
way, Conestoga township, Lancaster county, 
Pennsylvania, aged eighty-seven years. The 
son of Jacob Boehm the third, Martin Boehm, 
of whom we desire to speak more particularly, 
was born in November, 1725. The labors and 
experience of his life, as a professor of relig- 
ion and minister of Christ, may be pretty justly 
estimated by what we learn from himself, com- 
municated in answer to certain questions pro- 
pounded to him by his son Jacob, which we 
here transcribe : 

« Question. Father, when were you put into 
the ministry ? 

1 Answer. My ministerial labors began about 
the year 1756. Three years afterward, by 
nomination of the lot, 1 received full pastoral 
orders. 

1 Q. What had been your religious experi- 
ence at that time ? 

' A. I was sincere and strict in the religious 
duties of prayer in my family, in the congre- 
gation, and in the closet. I lived and preached 
according to the light I had. I was a servant, 
and not a son ; nor did I know any one at that 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS, 237 

time who could claim the birth-right by adop- 
tion but Nancy Keagy, my mother's, sister ; 
she was a woman of great piety and singular 
devotion to God. 

' Q. By what means did you discover the 
nature and necessity of a real change of heart? 

6 A. By deep meditation upon the doctrines 
which I myself preached of the fall of man, 
his sinful state, and utter helplessness, I discov- 
ered and felt the want of Christ within. About 
the year 1761, hearing of a great work of God 
in New Virginia, among the New Lights, as 
they were called, I resolved to find the truth 
more fully. I accordingly visited those parts, 
and saw many gracious souls who could give a 
rational and Scriptural account of their expe- 
rience and acceptance with God; these assur- 
ances roused me to greater efforts to obtain the 
blessing. On my return, very large congrega- 
tions assembled to hear the word, not only on 
the Sabbaths, but on week days also. My zeal 
displeased some of my brethren in the minis- 
try ; but my heart was enlarged, and I had an 
earnest travail of soul to extend the knowledge 
of salvation to Jew and Gentile. I enlarged 
the sphere of my labors as much as my situa- 
tion in life would permit. 

* Q. Were your labors owned of the Lord 
in the awakening and conversion of souls ? 

4 «/?. Yes : many were brought to the knowl- 
edge of the truth. But it was a strange ivork; 
and some of the Menonist meeting-houses were 
closed against me. Nevertheless, I was receiv- 



238 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

ed in other places. I now preached the Gos- 
pel spiritually and powerfully. Some years 
afterward I was excommunicated from the Men- 
onist Church on a charge, truly enough advan- 
ced, of holding fellowship with other societies 
of a different language. I had invited the 
Menonites to my house, and they soon formed 
the society in the neighborhood which exists 
to this day: my beloved wife Eve, my chil- 
dren, and my cousin Keagy's family, were 
among the first of its members. For myself, 
I felt my heart more greatly enlarged toward 
all religious persons, and to all denominations 
of Christians. Upward of thirty years ago I 
became acquainted with my greatly beloved 
brother, William Otterbein, and several other 
ministers, who about this time had been eject- 
ed from their Churches, as I had been from 
mine, because of their zeal, which was looked 
upon as an irregularity. We held many and 
large meetings in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 
New Virginia, which generally lasted three 
days : at these meetings hundreds were made 
the subjects of penitence and pardon. Being 
convinced of the necessity of order and disci- 
pline in the Church of God, and having no 
wish to be at the head of a separate body, I 
advised serious persons to join the Methodists, 
whose doctrine, discipline, and zeal suited, as 
I thought, an unlearned, sincere, and simple- 
hearted people. Several of the ministers with 
whom I labored, continued to meet in a confer- 
ence of the German United Brethren ; but we 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 239 

felt the difficulties arising from the want of that 
which the Methodists possessed. Age having 
overtaken me, with some of its accompanying 
infirmities, I could not travel as I had formerly- 
done. In 1802 I enrolled my name on a Meth- 
odist class-book, and I have found great com- 
fort in meeting with my brethren. I can truly 
say, my last days are my best days. My be- 
loved Eve is traveling with me the same road 
Zion-ward ; my children, and most of my grand- 
children, are made the happy partakers of the 
same grace. I am, this 12th of April, 1811, 
in my eighty-sixth year. Through the bound- 
less goodness of my God, I am still able to visit 
the sick, and occasionally, to preach in the 
neighborhood : to his name be all the glory in 
Christ Jesus !' 

44 Martin Boehm died on the 23d of March, 
1812. His death was thought to have been 
hastened by an imprudent change of dress. 
Bishop Asbury, in a sermon preached upon the 
occasion of the death of his long-known and 
long-loved friend, improved the opportunity by 
mentioning some further particulars of him, of 
his friends, and of the work of God in which 
he and they had labored. His observations are, 
with the alteration and substitution of a few 
sentences and words, as follows: 'Martin 
Boehm had frequent and severe conflicts in his 
own mind, produced by the necessity he felt 
himself under of offending his Menonist breth- 
ren by the zeal and doctrines of his ministry: 
some he gained; but most of them opposed 



240 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OP 

him. He had difficulties also with his United 
Brethren. It was late in life that he joined the 
Methodists, to whom, long before, his wife and 
children had attached themselves : the head of 
the house had two societies to pass through to 
arrive at the Methodists, and his meek and 
quiet spirit kept him back. Honest and unsus- 
pecting, he had not a strange face for strange 
people. He did not make the Gospel a charge 
to any one ; his reward was souls and glory. 
His conversation was in heaven. Plain in dress 
and manners, when age had stamped its im- 
press of reverence upon him, he filled the mind 
with the noble idea of a patriarch. At the head 
of a family, a father, a neighbor, a friend, a 
companion, there was one prominent feature of 
his character which distinguished him from 
most men : it was goodness ; you felt that he 
was good. His mind was strong and well 
stored with the learning necessary for one whose 
aim is to preach Christ with apostolic zeal and 
simplicity. The virtue of hospitality was prac- 
ticed by his family as a matter of course ; and 
in following the impulse of their own generous 
natures, the members of his household obeyed 
the oft-repeated charge of their head to open 
his doors to the houseless, that the weary might 
be solaced and the hungry fed. And what a 
family was here presented to an observant vis- 
itor ! Here was order, quiet, occupation. The 
father, if not absent on a journey of five hun- 
dred miles in cold, hunger, privations, and labor, 
proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation to his 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 241 

dispersed German brethren, might, by his con- 
duct under his own roof, explain to a careful 
looker-on the secret of a parent's success in 
rearing a family to the duties of piety, to the 
diligent and useful occupation of time, and to 
the uninterrupted exhibition of reflected and 
reciprocated love, esteem, and kindness in word 
and deed. If it is true, as is generally believ- 
ed, that the mother does much toward forming 
the character of their children, it will be readily 
allowed that Martin Boehm had an able help- 
mate in his pious wife. The offspring of this 
noble pair have done them honor : the son Ja- 
cob, immediately upon his marriage, took on 
himself the management of the farm, that his 
excellent father might, " without carefulness," 
extend his labors more far and wide. A young- 
er son, Henry, is a useful minister in the Meth- 
odist connection, having the advantage of being 
able to preach in English and German. We 
are willing to hope that the children of Martin 
Boehm, and his children's children to the third 
and fourth and latest generations, will have 
cause to thank God that his house, for fifty 
years, has been a house for the welcome re- 
ception of Gospel ministers, and one in which 
the worship of God has been uninterruptedly 
preserved and practiced ! O ye children and 
grand-children ! , rising generation , who have 
so often heard the prayers of this man of God 
in the houses of your fathers ! O, ye Germans, 
to whom he has long preached the word of 
truth, Martin Boehm being dead yet speaketh ! 
21 



2i2 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

O hear his voice from the grave, exhorting you 
to repent, to believe, and to obey.' 

" i But our beloved brother, who has gone to 
his high reward, was not the only laborer in 
the vineyard. Will it be hazarding too much 
to say, that in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 
Virginia, there were one hundred preachers 
and twenty thousand people in the communion 
of the United Brethren ? Many of these faith- 
ful men have gone to glory ; and many are yet 
alive to preach to congregated thousands. Pre- 
eminent among these is William Otterbein, who 
assisted in the ordination which set apart your 
speaker to the superintendency of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church. William Otterbein 
was regularly ordained to the ministry in the 
German Presbyterian Church. He is one of 
the best scholars and the greatest divines in 
America. Why then is he not where he began ? 
He was irregular. Alas, for us ! the zealous 
are necessarily so to those whose cry has been, 
put me into the priests' office, that I may eat 
a morsel of bread. Ostervald has observed, 
" Hell is paved with the skulls of unfaithful 
ministers." Such was not Boehm. Such is 
not Otterbein ; and now, his sun of life is set- 
ting in brightness : behold the saint of God 
leaning upon his staff, waiting for the chariots 
of Israel ! 

" I pause here to indulge in reflections upon 
the past. Why was the German reformation 
in the middle states, that sprang up with 
Boehm, Otterbein, and their helpers, not more 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 243 

perfect ? Was money, was labor made a con- 
sideration with these primitive men ? No ; 
they wanted not the one, and heeded not the 
other. They all had had Church membership, 
as Presbyterians, Lutherans, Moravians, Dun- 
kers, Menonists. The spiritual men of these 
societies generally united with the reformers ; 
but they brought along with them the formali- 
ties, superstitions, and peculiar opinions of 
religious education. There was no master- 
spirit to rise up, and organize, and lead them. 
Some of the ministers located, and only added 
to their charge, partial traveling labors ; and all 
were independent. It remains to be proved, 
whether a reformation, in any country, or un- 
der any circumstances, can be perpetuated 
without a well directed itinerancy. But these 
faithful men of God were not the less zealous 
in declaring the truth, because they failed to 
erect a Church government. This was wished 
for by many ; and among the first, perhaps, to 
discover the necessity of discipline and ,„order, 
was Benedict Swoape, of Pipe creek, Frede- 
rick county: he became Otterbein's prompter 
as early as 1772, and called upon him to trans- 
late the General Rules of the Methodists, and 
explain to their German brethren, wandering 
as sheep without a shepherd, their nature, de- 
sign, and efficacy. Otterbein, one of the wisest 
and best of men, could only approve : when 
urged to put himself forward as a leader, his 
great modesty and diffidence of himself, forbade 
his acceptance of so high a trust. His jour- 



244 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

neys, nevertheless, were long, his visits fre- 
quent, his labors constant; so that, after he 
came to Baltimore, he might be called a travel- 
ing preacher, until age and infirmities compelled 
him to be still. Surely I should not forget his 
helpers. I may mention once more Benedict 
Swoape : he removed to Kentucky, and preach- 
ed until near his death, at eighty years of age. 
There was the brother-in-law of Otterbein, and 
his great friend, Doctor Hendel, a man of tal- 
ents, lettered and pious, and a great preacher. 
Hendel was first stationed, as a German Pres- 
byterian minister, in Tulpahocking and Lancas- 
ter, and his last labors were in Philadelphia, 
where, late in life, he fell a victim to the yellow 
fever of 1798. Wagner, a pupil of Otterbein's, 
was stationed in Little York, Pennsylvania, and 
permanently, thereafter, in Fredericktown, Ma- 
ryland: he was, we have reason to hope, a 
good and useful servant of his Lord. Henry 
Widener, first a great sinner, and afterward a 
great saint, was a native of Switzerland ; as is 
usual with his educated countrymen, he spoke 
in German and French with equal fluency. 
His preaching was acceptable and useful; he 
had for the companion of his itinerant labors, 
John Hagerty; and the Gospel of our Lord 
was preached by these men in German and 
English, to thousands between the north and 
south branches of the Potomac. Widener died 
in peace, near Baltimore. Hagerty is still with 
us. George Adam Gedding, a native of Ger- 
many, has been a most acceptable man in the 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 245 

work : he still lives near Sharpesburg, in Ma- 
ryland. Christian Newcomer, near Hagers- 
town, in Maryland, has labored and traveled 
many years. His heart's desire has always 
been to effect a union between his German 
brethren and the Methodists. Are there many 
that fear God who have passed by his house, 
and have not heard of or witnessed the piety 
and hospitality of these Newcomers ? Worthy 
people ! 

" I will not forget Abraham Traxall, now in 
the west of Pennsylvania: a most acceptable 
preacher of method and energy. Henry and 
Christian Crumb, twin-brothers born, and twin- 
souls in zeal and experience : these were holy, 
good men, and members of both societies. 
John Hersay, formerly a Menonist ; an Israel- 
ite : he is gone to rest. Abraham and Chris- 
tian Hersay ; occasional itinerants, good men ; 
busy and zealous. David Snyder, possessing 
gifts to make himself useful. Neisch W anger, 
a good man and good preacher. Most of these 
men were natives of Pennsylvania. May I 
name Leonard Harburgh, once famous, gifted, 
laborious, useful? He is now only a great 
mechanic, alas ! The flame of German zeal 
has moved westward with immigration. In 
Ohio, we have Andrew Teller, and Benedem, 
men of God, intrusted with a weighty charge, 
subjecting them to great labors. But our Ger- 
man fathers have lost many of their spiritual 
children. Some have led away disciples after 
them, and established independent Churches ; 
21* 



246 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

some have returned whence they or their fath- 
ers came; and some have joined the Dutch 
Baptists. Our German reformers have left no 
journal or record, that I have seen or heard of, 
by which we might learn the extent of their 
labors ; but from Tennessee, where the excel- 
lent Baker labored and died, through Virginia 
and Maryland, into Pennsylvania, as far east- 
ward as Bucks and Berks counties, the effects 
of their ministry were happily seen and felt. 
We feel ourselves at liberty to believe that these 
German heralds of grace congregated one hun- 
dred thousand souls ; that they have had twenty 
thousand in fellowship and communion, and 
one hundred zealous and acceptable preachers. 
" The following paper was found, in the 
hand-writing of Bishop Asbury, and, as it is 
believed, of the Rev. Wm. Otterbein: 

' To the Rev. William Otterbein, 

1 Sir, — Where were you born ? 

6 Answer. In Nassau, Dillenberg, in Ger- 
many. 

' Question. How many years had you lived 
in your native land ? 

* A. Twenty-six years. 

* Q. How many years have you resided in 
America ? » 

' A. Sixty years, come next August. 

* Q. Where were you educated ? 
6 A. In Herborn, in an academy. 

* Q. What languages and sciences were you 
taught ? 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 247 

6 A. Latin, Greek, Hebrew, philosophy, and 
divinity. 

6 Q. In what order were you set apart for 
the ministry ? 

' A. The Presbyterian form and order. 

' Q. What ministers assisted in your ordina- 
tion ? 

6 A. Shrim and KlinghoafFer. 

6 Q. Where have you had charge of congre- 
gations in America ? 

« A. First, in Lancaster ; in Tulpahocking, 
in Fredericktown in Maryland, in Little York 
in Pennsylvania, and in Baltimore. 

« Q. In what parts of the United States have 
you frequently traveled through, in the prose- 
cution of your ministerial labors ? 

' A. In Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsyl- 
vania. 

8 Q. How many years of your life, since 
you came to this country, were you in a great 
measure an itinerant ? 

6 A. The chief of the time, since my coming 
to this continent, but more largely since coming 
to Baltimore. 

' Q. By what means were you brought to the 
Gospel knowledge of God and our Savior 1 

6 A. By degrees was I brought to the knowl- 
edge of the truth while in Lancaster. 

6 Q. Have you an unshaken confidence in 
God, through Christ, of your justification, sanc- 
tification, and sure hope of glorification ? 

6 A. The Lord has been good to me ; and no 
doubt remains in my mind but he will be good; 



248 ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

and I can now praise him for the hope of a 
better life. 

' Q. Have you ever kept any account of the 
seals to your ministry ? 

6 A. None. 

6 Q. Have you ever taken an account of the 
members in the societies of the United German 
Brethren ? 

' A, Only what are in Baltimore. 

6 Q. Have you taken any account of the 
brethren introduced into the ministry immedi- 
ately by yourself, and sent out by you ? Can 
you give the names of the living and the dead ? 

' A. Henry Widener, Henry Becker, Simon 
Herre, in Virginia; these are gone to their 
reward. Newcomer can give the names of the 
living. 

* Q. What ministerial brethren, who have 
been your helpers, can you speak of with pleas- 
ure, and whose names are precious ? 

4 A. Guedick, Widener, Herre, Newcomer, 
and others. 

' Q. What is your mind concerning John 
Wesley, and the order of Methodists in Amer- 
ica? 

« A. I think highly of John Wesley. I think 
well of the Methodists in America. 

i Q. What are your views of the present 
state of the Church of Christ in Europe and 
America, and of prophecy ? 

' A. In continental Europe the Church has 
lost, in a great degree, the light of truth. In 



THE GERMAN MISSIONS. 249 

England and America the light still shines. 
Prophecy is hastening to its accomplishment. 

' Q. Will you give any commandment con- 
cerning your bones, and the memoirs of your 
life? your children in Christ will not suffer 
you to die unnoticed.' 

" No answer to this last question.' ' 

In his Journal, Bishop Asbury makes the 
following remarks respecting Mr. Otterbein : 

" By request, I discoursed on the character 
of the angel of the Church of Philadelphia, in 
allusion to P. W. Otterbein — the holy, the 
great Otterbein — whose funeral discourse it 
was intended to be. Solemnity marked the 
silent meeting in the German Church, where 
were assembled the members of our confer- 
ence and many of the clergy of the city. 
Forty years have I known the retiring modesty 
of this man of God — towering majestic above 
his fellows in learning, wisdom, and grace, yet 
seeking to be known only of God and the peo- 
ple of God. He had been sixty years a min- 
ister, fifty years a converted one." 



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